Rapid-Turnaround Characterization Methods for MRAM Development

Overview

Magnetic Random Access Memory (MRAM) technology, based on the use of Magnetic Tunnel Junctions (MTJs), holds the promise of improving on the capabilities of existing charge-based memories by offering the combination of nonvolatility, speed, and density in a single technology. This paper reviews rapid-turnaround methods which have been developed or applied in new ways to characterize MRAM chips at various stages during processing, with particular emphasis on the MTJs. The methods include Current-In-Plane Tunneling (CIPT), Kerr magnetometry, Vibrating Sample Magnetometry (VSM), and Conducting Atomic Force Microscopy (CAFM).