*** ABSTRACT 9660782 Steinbeck This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I program will investigate a novel nanomagnetic memory device which has performance characteristics similar to those of SHAM. Nanomagnetic structures are used to store data and to nondestructively read data out of the device using a fluxgate mechanism. The memory cells are passive devices which do not require transistors to be integrated at each memory cell and are built using proven semiconductor thin film techniques. Arrays of the nanomagnetic memory devices can be made at areal data storage densities comparable to hard disk drives. The thin film processes used to build the device coupled with the passive nature of the memory cells may make true 3-D integration of the devices possible as both 3-D memory arrays and as memory arrays integrated on top of logic circuits. This Phase I program will demonstrate that nanomagnetic memory arrays can be built at areal data storage densities of 100 Mbit/cm2. The Phase II program will be used to build a complete 1K, 100 Mbit/cm2 memory device. Nanomagnetic memory technology could revolutionize the way memory subsystems are incorporated into electronic systems. One very exciting possibility is for full "systems on a chip" to become cost effective due to the preservation of silicon "real estate" made possible by this new memory technology. ***
