IP Library Granted Patent US 8,203,193
Granted Patent B2
US 8,203,193 · App. 13/163,349 · Granted Jun 19, 2012

Magnetic random access memory and manufacturing method of the same

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,203,193
App. No.
13/163,349
Granted
Jun 19, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A magnetic random access memory includes a magnetoresistive effect element which has a fixed layer, a recording layer and a non-magnetic layer provided between the fixed layer and the recording layer and in which the magnetization directions of the fixed layer and the recording layer are brought into a parallel state or an anti-parallel state in accordance with a direction of a current flowing between the fixed layer and the recording layer, a first contact which is connected to the recording layer and in which a contact area between the recording layer and the first contact is smaller than an area of the recording layer, and a cap layer which is provided between the first contact and the recording layer and which directly comes in contact with the first contact and which has a resistance higher than a resistance of the recording layer.

Claims (7)

1. A magnetic random access memory comprising:

a magnetoresistive effect element which includes a fixed layer having a fixed magnetization direction, a recording layer having a reversible magnetization direction and a non-magnetic layer provided between the fixed layer and the recording layer and in which the magnetization directions of the fixed layer and the recording layer are brought into a parallel state or an anti-parallel state in accordance with a direction of a current flowing between the fixed layer and the recording layer;

a first contact which is connected to the recording layer and in which a contact area between the recording layer and the first contact is smaller than an area of the recording layer; and

a cap layer which is provided between the first contact and the recording layer and which directly comes in contact with the first contact and which has a resistance higher than a resistance of the recording layer;

wherein an area of the first contact is equal to an area of the magnetoresistive effect element, and

a center of the first contact shifts from a center of the magnetoresistive effect element, the contact area between the first contact and the recording layer is reduced.

2. The memory according to claim 1 , wherein during a write operation, magnetization of the recording layer reverses from a portion where the first contact comes in contact with the recording layer, and the whole magnetization of the recording layer reverses owing to propagation of the magnetization reverse.

Assignments (3)
DE-MERGER Recorded Dec 12, 2019
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 051260/0291 →
MERGER Recorded Dec 12, 2019
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION; K.K PANGEA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 051262/0776 →
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Dec 12, 2019
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: KIOXIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 051262/0881 →