Straintronics-Based Random Access Memory as Universal Data Storage Devices

Nanomagnetic and spin-based memories are distinguished for their high data endurance in comparison with their charge-based peers. However, they have drawbacks, such as high write energy and poor scalability due to high write current. In this paper, we apply the straintronics principle that seeks the combination of piezoelectricity and inverse magnetostriction (Villari effect), to design a proof-of-principle 2 Kb nonvolatile magnetic memory in 65 nm CMOS technology. Our simulation results show read-access and write-cycle energies as low as 49 and 143 fJ/b, respectively. At a nominal supply level of 1 V, reading can be performed as fast as 562 MHz. Write error rates <10(-7) and 10(-15) can be obtained at 10 and 5 MHz, respectively. In addition to nonvolatility, ultralow energy per operation, and high performance, our STRs memory has a high storage density with a cell size as small as 0.2 mu m(2).