Performance of a resistance-to-voltage read circuit for sensing magnetic tunnel junctions

Michael J. Hall, Viktor Gruev, Roger D. Chamberlain

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Magnetic tunnel junction devices represent state in the form of a magnetic field that is accessed as a resistance. Read circuits are needed to sense this state and to produce a digital logic voltage output. We designed a resistance-to-voltage read circuit for this purpose. This paper presents area, transient response, power, and jitter characterizations in a 3M2P 0.5 μm process and compares these results to a second implementation in a 5M1P 0.18 μm process. As the process scales down to smaller dimensions, area decreases, rise/fall times decrease, propagation times decrease, maximum frequency increases, power consumption decreases, and jitter decreases. We then evaluate the quality of phase measurements between read circuits for assessing clock skew in systems that use magnetic global clocking. Phase delays above 1.25 ns can be detected and are linear above 2 ns.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publication2012 IEEE 55th International Midwest Symposium on Circuits and Systems, MWSCAS 2012
Pages639-642
Number of pages4
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 16 2012
Externally publishedYes
Event2012 IEEE 55th International Midwest Symposium on Circuits and Systems, MWSCAS 2012 - Boise, ID, United States
Duration: Aug 5 2012Aug 8 2012

Publication series

NameMidwest Symposium on Circuits and Systems
ISSN (Print)1548-3746

Other

Other2012 IEEE 55th International Midwest Symposium on Circuits and Systems, MWSCAS 2012
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityBoise, ID
Period8/5/128/8/12

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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