MRAM developer Crocus Technology and foundry Tower Semiconductor Ltd have announced an agreement to port Crocus’ MRAM process technology into Tower’s 200-mm Fab2 facility.

In addition to collaborating on the process port, which Tower claimed readies it to be the first foundry with MRAM capability, the Israel-based company is taking an equity position in the Sunnyvale, Calif-based Crocus, valued at $1.25 million.

As part of the volume supply chain deal, Tower and Crocus will each dedicate specific equipment in Tower’s factory to the manufacture of Crocus’ MRAMs.

“Transitioning from an incubation setting to a commercial production environment is a major leap forward for Crocus,” said Jean-Pierre Braun, co-founder and CEO of Crocus, in a statement Thursday. “Tower is known as a leading foundry in non-volatile memory (NVM) solutions and is an ideal partner to make this a very successful high margin business for both companies.”

Crocus' MRAM was conceived in the Grenoble, France-based Spintec laboratory, an R&D center affiliated with French labs CEA and CNRS. The company licenses its technology for both standalone and embedded chip applications in a variety of telecommunication, networking, storage, computing, and handheld applications.

Crocus claimed improving yield and performance on its full-functionality 130-nm MRAM test vehicle and said it is ready for the transition to commercial manufacturing. 

“At Tower, we are convinced of the industry-changing potential of MRAM, and we are partnering with the company best able to capitalize on this potential," said Avi Strum, VP and general manager, specialty business unit at Tower, in the statement. "We view this as a high volume market with a long life on Tower’s platform."

By: DocMemory
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