MRAM with super-paramagnetic sensing layer
View Patent ↗An MRAM is disclosed that has a MTJ comprised of a ferromagnetic layer with a magnetization direction along a first axis, a super-paramagnetic (SP) free layer, and an insulating layer formed therebetween. The SP free layer has a remnant magnetization that is substantially zero in the absence of an external field, and in which magnetization is roughly proportional to an external field until reaching a saturation value. In one embodiment, a separate storage layer is formed above, below, or adjacent to the MTJ and has uniaxial anisotropy with a magnetization direction along its easy axis which parallels the first axis. In a second embodiment, the storage layer is formed on a non-magnetic conducting spacer layer within the MTJ and is patterned simultaneously with the MTJ. The SP free layer may be multiple layers or laminated layers of CoFeB. The storage layer may have a SyAP configuration and a laminated structure.
1. An MRAM structure, comprising:
(a) a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) sensing element having length and width dimensions and formed on a conductive substrate, said MTJ has a first stack of layers comprised of a ferromagnetic layer with a magnetization direction along a first axis, a super-paramagnetic (SP) free layer in which a remnant magnetization is substantially zero in the absence of an external field, and in which magnetization is roughly proportional to an external field until reaching a saturation value, and an insulating layer formed between the ferromagnetic layer and SP free layer; and
(b) a storage layer having anisotropy, an easy axis, and a uniaxial magnetization along the first axis that is aligned parallel or anti-parallel to the magnetization direction of the ferromagnetic layer to determine a digital storage value of “0” or “1”, respectively, said planar storage layer is separated from said SP free layer and the MTJ and is formed along a plane that is parallel to the planar conductive substrate.
2. The MRAM structure of claim 1 wherein the SP free layer has a thickness between about 5 and 20 Angstroms and is comprised of multiple layers or laminated layers of Co, Fe, Ni, CoFe, NiFe, CoFeNi, or having a composition represented by Co X Fe Y B Z wherein x, y, and z are the atomic % of Co, Fe, and B, respectively, x+y+z=100, x is about 40 to 60, y is from about 15 to 30, and z is from about 12.5 to 25.