Developers of magnetoresistive random access memory are taking a interest in the Laser Three Dimensional Atom Probe from Oxford Nanoscience to show atomic level structure in these complex devices
Developers of MRam (magnetoresistive random access memory) in Asia are taking a keen interest in the Laser Three Dimensional Atom Probe (3DAP) from Oxford Nanoscience to provide an accurate analysis method to show the atomic level structure in these complex devices.
MRam is forecast to eventually replace DRam in the semiconductor industry.
It stores data using magnetic charges instead of electrical charges.
High density 16 and 32Gb MRam devices are under development and these would enable much greater amounts of data to be stored than in DRam, with faster access and lower power consumption.
It is even suggested that computers equipped with MRam could start instantly, without waiting for software to boot up.
Oxford Nanoscience managing director Richard Davies said: "The ultra- high density of these devices means that their structures are too small to be examined by even transmission electron microscopy.
"The Laser 3DAP, however uses a femtosecond laser to evaporate atoms sequentially from the sample before analysing their mass and original position in the sample.
"The instrument literally allows us to reconstruct the sample structure atom by atom in three dimensions, complete with the chemical identity of each atom.
"The MRam structure includes GMR and TMR layers and III-V transistor structures," he continued.
"The Laser 3DAP has already been used to characterise each of these types of structures individually, so should be ideally suited to MRam investigations.
"TMR structures can be analysed routinely and the presence of insulating layers presents no problems.
"Oxide layers as thin as 1nm have been characterised, although significantly thicker ones can also be analysed".
The Laser 3DAP was launched during the summer of 2005 and has attracted a huge amount of interest from the semiconductor industry in general, with the introduction of the laser source making the 3DAP technique applicable to semiconductor materials for the first time.
The company is currently involved in a number of feasibility studies for semiconductor applications.
