Granted Patent B2

US 11,417,836 · App. 17/156,562 · Granted Aug 16, 2022

Inventors: Yiming Huai (Pleasanton, CA); Zihui Wang (Mountain View, CA)

Assignee: Avalanche Technology, Inc.

H01L43/08G11C11/15G11C11/16G11C11/161H01F10/329H01F10/3286H01F41/302H01L27/228H01L29/66984H01L43/02H01L43/10B82Y40/00

Abstract

Claims (66)

1. A magnetic memory element comprising:

a magnetic free layer structure including:

first, second, and third magnetic free layers having a variable magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to layer planes thereof, said first, second, and third magnetic free layers each comprising cobalt and iron;

a first perpendicular enhancement layer (PEL) interposed between said first and second magnetic free layers and comprising one of magnesium, molybdenum, titanium, zirconium, vanadium, or aluminum; and

a second PEL interposed between said second and third magnetic free layers;

an insulating tunnel junction layer formed adjacent to said first magnetic free layer opposite said first PEL;

a magnetic reference layer structure including:

first and second magnetic reference layers having a first invariable magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to layer planes thereof, said first magnetic reference layer formed adjacent to said insulating tunnel junction layer opposite said first magnetic free layer; and

a third PEL interposed between said first and second magnetic reference layers;

an anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer formed adjacent to said second magnetic reference layer opposite said third PEL; and

a magnetic fixed layer formed adjacent to said anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer opposite said second magnetic reference layer, said magnetic fixed layer having a second invariable magnetization direction substantially opposite to said first invariable magnetization direction.

2. The magnetic memory element according to claim 1 , wherein said magnetic free layer structure is deposited on top of said insulating tunnel junction layer.

3. The magnetic memory element according to claim 1 , wherein said first, second, and third magnetic free layers have a body-centered cubic lattice structure.

4. The magnetic memory element according to claim 1 , wherein said first, second, and third magnetic free layers each further comprise boron.

5. The magnetic memory element according to claim 1 , wherein said second PEL comprises one of titanium, zirconium, vanadium, aluminum, magnesium, or molybdenum.

6. A magnetic memory element comprising:

a magnetic free layer structure including:

first, second, and third magnetic free layers having a variable magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to layer planes thereof, said first, second, and third magnetic free layers each comprising cobalt and iron;

a first perpendicular enhancement layer (PEL) interposed between said first and second magnetic free layers; and

a second PEL interposed between said second and third magnetic free layers and comprising one of magnesium, molybdenum, titanium, zirconium, vanadium, or aluminum;

an insulating tunnel junction layer formed adjacent to said first magnetic free layer opposite said first PEL;

a magnetic reference layer structure including:

first and second magnetic reference layers having a first invariable magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to layer planes thereof, said first magnetic reference layer formed adjacent to said insulating tunnel junction layer opposite said first magnetic free layer; and

a third PEL interposed between said first and second magnetic reference layers;

an anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer formed adjacent to said second magnetic reference layer opposite said third PEL; and

a magnetic fixed layer formed adjacent to said anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer opposite said second magnetic reference layer, said magnetic fixed layer having a second invariable magnetization direction substantially opposite to said first invariable magnetization direction.

7. The magnetic memory element according to claim 6 , wherein said magnetic free layer structure is deposited on top of said insulating tunnel junction layer.

8. The magnetic memory element according to claim 6 , wherein said first, second, and third magnetic free layers have a body-centered cubic lattice structure.

9. The magnetic memory element according to claim 6 , wherein said first, second, and third magnetic free layers each further comprise boron.

10. The magnetic memory element according to claim 6 , wherein said first PEL comprises one of titanium, zirconium, vanadium, aluminum, magnesium, or molybdenum.

11. A magnetic memory element comprising:

a magnetic free layer structure including:

first, second, and third magnetic free layers having a variable magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to layer planes thereof, said first, second, and third magnetic free layers each comprising cobalt and iron;

a first perpendicular enhancement layer (PEL) interposed between said first and second magnetic free layers and comprising one of beryllium or barium; and

a second PEL interposed between said second and third magnetic free layers;

an insulating tunnel junction layer formed adjacent to said first magnetic free layer opposite said first PEL;

a magnetic reference layer structure including:

first and second magnetic reference layers having a first invariable magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to layer planes thereof, said first magnetic reference layer formed adjacent to said insulating tunnel junction layer opposite said first magnetic free layer; and

a third PEL interposed between said first and second magnetic reference layers;

an anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer formed adjacent to said second magnetic reference layer opposite said third PEL; and

a magnetic fixed layer formed adjacent to said anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer opposite said second magnetic reference layer, said magnetic fixed layer having a second invariable magnetization direction substantially opposite to said first invariable magnetization direction.

12. The magnetic memory element according to claim 11 , wherein said magnetic free layer structure is deposited on top of said insulating tunnel junction layer.

13. The magnetic memory element according to claim 11 , wherein said first, second, and third magnetic free layers have a body-centered cubic lattice structure.

14. The magnetic memory element according to claim 11 , wherein said first, second, and third magnetic free layers each further comprise boron.

15. The magnetic memory element according to claim 11 , wherein said second PEL comprises one of magnesium, molybdenum, titanium, zirconium, vanadium, aluminum, beryllium, or barium.

16. A magnetic memory element comprising:

a magnetic free layer structure including:

first, second, and third magnetic free layers having a variable magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to layer planes thereof, said first, second, and third magnetic free layers each comprising cobalt and iron;

a first perpendicular enhancement layer (PEL) interposed between said first and second magnetic free layers; and

a second PEL interposed between said second and third magnetic free layers and comprising one of beryllium or barium;

an insulating tunnel junction layer formed adjacent to said first magnetic free layer opposite said first PEL;

a magnetic reference layer structure including:

first and second magnetic reference layers having a first invariable magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to layer planes thereof, said first magnetic reference layer formed adjacent to said insulating tunnel junction layer opposite said first magnetic free layer; and

a third PEL interposed between said first and second magnetic reference layers;

an anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer formed adjacent to said second magnetic reference layer opposite said third PEL; and

a magnetic fixed layer formed adjacent to said anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer opposite said second magnetic reference layer, said magnetic fixed layer having a second invariable magnetization direction substantially opposite to said first invariable magnetization direction.

17. The magnetic memory element according to claim 16 , wherein said magnetic free layer structure is deposited on top of said insulating tunnel junction layer.

18. The magnetic memory element according to claim 16 , wherein said first, second, and third magnetic free layers have a body-centered cubic lattice structure.

19. The magnetic memory element according to claim 16 , wherein said first, second, and third magnetic free layers each further comprise boron.

20. The magnetic memory element according to claim 16 , wherein said first PEL comprises one of magnesium, molybdenum, titanium, zirconium, vanadium, aluminum, beryllium, or barium.

21. The magnetic memory element according to claim 1 , wherein said second PEL comprises one of beryllium or barium.

22. The magnetic memory element according to claim 1 further comprising a magnesium oxide cap layer formed adjacent to said third magnetic free layer.

23. The magnetic memory element according to claim 6 , wherein said first PEL comprises one of beryllium or barium.

24. The magnetic memory element according to claim 6 further comprising a magnesium oxide cap layer formed adjacent to said third magnetic free layer.

25. The magnetic memory element according to claim 11 further comprising a magnesium oxide cap layer formed adjacent to said third magnetic free layer.

26. The magnetic memory element according to claim 16 further comprising a magnesium oxide cap layer formed adjacent to said third magnetic free layer.

Assignments (4)

Continuity (16)