Nonvolatile logic and memory devices based on spintronics

New computer memory hierarchy based on spintronics is proposed for low-power electronics that will evolve in two steps from the current volatile system. At first, memories for internal states and pipeline registers and cache memories etc. are made nonvolatile by using spintronics. Then, computers can be made totally nonvolatile by additionally adopting spintronics-based logic-in-memory architecture. Nonvolatile MPU, recognition processor and cache memory that use magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) have been designed and fabricated to demonstrate their superior features in low static power and high speed data store and restore operations.