The chips, called magnetoresistive random-access memory or MRAM, maintain information by relying on magnetic properties rather than an electrical charge. Unlike flash memory, which also can keep data without power, MRAM is fast to read and write bits, and doesn't degrade over time.

Ultimately, the technology could displace the RAM found in PCs, enabling systems that boot up immediately because data don't have to be reloaded into the memory chips.

Freescale has been working on the technology for nearly a decade, said Saied Tehrani, who directs the Austin-based company's MRAM program. He said Freescale already has customers, but he declined to name any. Freescale said it isn't interested in high-volume markets but will license its patents to other companies.

The first markets for MRAM chips are likely to be in automotive and industrial settings, where durability is critical. Tehrani said they would also be suited for data-logging devices, such as airline black boxes that store data on aircraft performance and must be recoverable after a crash.

MRAM is one of several emerging technologies that could replace established chips, at least in some applications.