A team from Georgia Tech, led by PhD student Md Nahid Haque Shazon and advised by Dr. Azad Naeemi, explored how to make SOT-MRAM faster and more energy-efficient. By tuning the Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction and using shaped current pulses—especially descending triangles—they achieved significant energy savings and speed improvements. The project won the People’s Choice Award for Best Poster at the ORS Symposium 2024–25 and supports CoCoSys by advancing low-power memory for next-gen cognitive systems.
- Tell us about the findings of your recent work entitled “Investigating the Impact of Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya Interaction and Current Pulse Shape on Critical Current Density and Write Energy of SOT-MRAMs” and how it supports the goals of CoCoSys.
In our research, we tackled two big problems faced by magnetic memory devices such as SOT MRAM: they often use too much energy and switch too slowly, making them harder to scale up efficiently. We found that by carefully controlling a special magnetic interaction called the Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction (DMI) and adjusting what type of input current pulse is delivered, we can greatly improve device performance. We found that a descending triangle shape performed best when DMI is low. We also noticed that a descending triangular pulse can reduce the write energy significantly when the device dimension is scaled down. This research directly supports CoCoSys goals by developing energy-efficient memory solutions essential for advanced computing systems.
2. How do your research findings push the boundaries of what we currently know or can do in the field?
In general, improving energy efficiency and speed in these memory devices typically relies on increasing electric currents, which is costly and inefficient. Our work shows that carefully designing magnetic properties and the shape of electric current pulses can achieve significant improvements without simply boosting power. This opens new pathways to design memory devices that are both faster and much more energy-efficient.
3. What are some real-world applications or examples of your research that people might encounter in their daily lives?
Our research could make smartphones, computers, and other electronic devices faster, more energy-efficient, and capable of storing more data. Imagine a smartphone that loads your apps instantly and uses less battery power—that’s the kind of improvement our research aims to deliver.
4. What inspired you to pursue this research, and why do you think it is important?
I was inspired by the urgent need for faster, more efficient, and sustainable electronics. As our world becomes increasingly digital, we need memory technologies that are powerful yet consume less energy. By solving these important challenges, our research contributes directly to building more sustainable technology that benefits everyone, from everyday smartphone users to large-scale data centers.