The first commercial Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory (MRAM) device is now in volume production and available from Freescale Semiconductor. Freescale's four megabit (Mbit) MRAM product is a non-volatile memory with unlimited endurance - a combination of characteristics not available in any other individual semiconductor memory product. The device is built on several patented technologies, including toggle-bit switching.

The MR2A16A is a commercial temperature range, 3.3-V device featuring 35 ns read and write cycle times. It is an asynchronous memory organized as 256 K words by 16 bits. An industry-standard SRAM pinout arrangement allows for system design flexibility without bus contention. The device is housed in a 400 mil TSOP type-II RoHS package. It is manufactured at Freescale's 200 mm Chandler Fab in Arizona.

"With the commercialization of MRAM, Freescale is the first to market with a technology of tremendous possibilities and profound implications," said Bob Merritt, Semico Research. "Competition to become the first company to market MRAM technology was fierce."

MRAM uses magnetic materials combined with conventional silicon circuitry to deliver the speed of SRAM with the non-volatility of Flash in a single, high-endurance device. Freescale's successful commercialization of this technology could hasten new classes of electronic products offering dramatic advances in size, cost, power consumption and system performance.

"The commercial launch of the industry's first MRAM product is a major milestone made possible by the pioneering research of Freescale technologists. It underscores our commitment to deliver breakthrough technology to our customers to address real-world challenges," said Sumit Sadana, senior vice president, strategy and business development, and chief technology officer, Freescale. "The unique capabilities of MRAM technology have numerous exciting applications in our target markets."

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