Crocus Technology Develops MRAM, Signs Tower Semi for Manufacturing

Crocus Technology, a start-up with offices in Grenoble, France and Sunnyvale, California, announced a major milestone in its efforts to develop Magnetic Random Access Memory (MRAM). Tower Semiconductor will port Crocus' MRAM process technology into its CMOS manufacturing environment. As part of the exclusive agreement, Tower will perform all manufacturing steps required for Crocus' next-generation MRAM technology in its state-of-the-art 200mm Fab2 facility. Tower and Crocus will each dedicate specific equipment in Tower's factory to the manufacture of Crocus' MRAMs.


Crocus' co-founder and CEO, Jean-Pierre Braun, said MRAM is particularly suitable for telecommunication, networking, computing and handheld applications that currently use SRAM and/or flash memory technology. MRAM provides non-volatile, unlimited-write-endurance, high-density, and symmetrical high-speed read & write.


Crocus has developed a robust, reliable and scalable MRAM process based on its patented technology. It has seen improving yield and performance on its full-functionality 130nm MRAM test vehicle and is ready for the transition to commercial manufacturing. The integration into Tower's copper 130nm logic process sets the stage for bringing to market leading edge single chip memory products as well as for embedding MRAM into complex SOCs for market segments such as microcontrollers , automotive and communications.


In addition to collaborating on the process port, Tower has taken an equity position valued at $1.25 million in Crocus .
http://www.crocustechnology.com