A Complete Resistive-Open Defect Analysis for Thermally Assisted Switching MRAMs

Abstract

Magnetic random access memory (MRAM) is an emerging technology with potential to become the universal on-chip memory. Among existing MRAM technologies, thermally assisted switching (TAS)-MRAM technology offers several advantages compared with other technologies: selectivity, single magnetic field, and high-integration density. In this paper, we analyze the impact of resistive-open defects on TAS-MRAM behavior. Electrical simulations were performed on a hypothetical 16 word TAS-MRAM architecture enabling any combination of read and write operations. Results show that read and write sequences may be affected by resistive-open defects that may induce single and double-cell faulty behaviors. As a next step, we will exploit the analyses results to guide the test phase by providing effective test algorithms targeting faults related to actual defects affecting TAS-MRAM architectures.