IP Library Granted Patent US 11,532,323
Granted Patent B1
US 11,532,323 · App. 17/405,954 · Granted Dec 20, 2022

BiSbX (012) layers having increased operating temperatures for SOT and MRAM devices

Inventors: Quang Le (San Jose, CA); Brian R. York (San Jose, CA); Cherngye Hwang (San Jose, CA); Susumu Okamura (San Jose, CA); Xiaoyong Liu (San Jose, CA); Kuok San Ho (Emerald Hills, CA); Hisashi Takano (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
G11B5/3909G11B5/313G11B5/314G11C11/161H01F10/329H01F10/3254H01L27/222H01L43/04H01L43/06H01L43/10G11B5/39
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,532,323
App. No.
17/405,954
Granted
Dec 20, 2022
Kind
B1
Abstract

The present disclosure generally relate to spin-orbit torque (SOT) magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) devices comprising a topological insulator (TI) modulation layer. The TI modulation layer comprises a plurality of bismuth or bismuth-rich composition modulation layers, a plurality of TI lamellae layers comprising BiSb having a (012) crystal orientation, and a plurality of texturing layers. The TI lamellae layers comprise dopants or clusters of atoms, the clusters of atoms comprising a carbide, a nitride, an oxide, or a composite ceramic material. The clusters of atoms are configured to have a grain boundary glass forming temperature of less than about 400° C. Doping the TI lamellae layers comprising BiSb having a (012) crystal orientation with clusters of atoms comprising a carbide, a nitride, an oxide, or a composite ceramic material enable the SOT MTJ device to operate at higher temperatures while inhibiting migration of Sb from the BiSb of the TI lamellae layers.

Claims (48)

1. A spin-orbit torque (SOT) magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device, comprising:

a topological insulator (TI) modulation layer, the TI modulation layer comprising:

a plurality of bismuth or bismuth-rich bismuth antimony (BiSb) composition modulation layers comprising bismuth in an atomic percent of about 96% to about 100%;

a plurality of TI lamellae layers, wherein the TI lamellae layers are co-deposited with clusters of atoms, the clusters of atoms comprising a carbide, a nitride, an oxide, or a composite ceramic material, and wherein the clusters of atoms are configured to have a grain boundary glass forming temperature of less than about 400° C. at a grain boundary with a bulk melting temperature less than about 1400° C.; and

a plurality of texturing layers.

2. The SOT MTJ device of claim 1 , wherein the TI lamellae layers comprise BiSb having a crystal orientation of (012).

3. The SOT MTJ device of claim 1 , wherein the composite ceramic material has a melting temperature less than about 1400° C.

4. The SOT MTJ device of claim 1 , wherein the texturing layers are selected from the group consisting of: an amorphous material comprising covalently bonded carbide, oxide, or nitride, a face centered cubic (fcc) material, a tetragonal material, a body centered cubic (bcc) material, and a metallic amorphous material.

5. The SOT MTJ device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a buffer layer, wherein the TI modulation layer is disposed over the buffer layer; and

an interlayer disposed on the TI modulation layer.

6. The SOT MTJ device of claim 5 , wherein a first bismuth or bismuth-rich BiSb composition modulation layer of the plurality of bismuth or bismuth-rich BiSb composition modulation layers is disposed in contact with the buffer layer, and a second bismuth or bismuth-rich BiSb composition modulation layer of the plurality of bismuth or bismuth-rich BiSb composition modulation layers is disposed in contact with the interlayer.

7. The SOT MTJ device of claim 1 , wherein the carbide material is selected from the group consisting of: ScC, TiC, NbC, ZrC, HfC, TaC, WC, SiC, and composite combinations thereof with one or more elements selected from the group consisting of: W, Al, and Si, and wherein the oxide material is selected from the group consisting of: FeO, CoC, ZrO, MgO, TiO, ZnO, and composite combinations thereof with one or more elements selected from the group consisting of: W, Al, and Si.

8. The SOT MTJ device of claim 1 , wherein the nitride material is selected from the group consisting of: ScN, TiN, NbN, ZrN, HfN, TaN, GaN, FeN, and composite combinations thereof with one or more elements selected from the group consisting of: W, Al, and Si, and wherein the composite ceramic material is selected from the group consisting of: Bi, Pb, Ga, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Zr, Nb, Mo, In, Ir, Ru, V, Os, Rh, Pd, WV, CrV, CrNb, Ge, ZnNb, ZnTa, Co, Mg, Sn, Sb, Te, Hf, Ta, W, oxides thereof, nitrides thereof, carbides thereof, and alloys thereof.

9. A magnetoresistive random-access memory device comprising the SOT MTJ device of claim 1 .

10. A magnetic recording device comprising the magnetic recording head of claim 9 .

11. A magneto-resistive memory comprising the SOT MTJ of claim 1 .

12. A spin-orbit torque (SOT) magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device, comprising:

a topological insulator (TI) modulation layer, the TI modulation layer comprising:

a plurality of bismuth or bismuth-rich composition modulation layers comprising bismuth in an atomic percent of about 96% to about 100%;

a plurality of TI lamellae layers comprising bismuth antimony (BiSb) having a crystal orientation of (012), wherein the TI lamellae layers are co-deposited with clusters of atoms, the clusters of atoms comprising a carbide, a nitride, an oxide, or a composite ceramic material; and

a plurality of texturing layers, wherein each texturing layer is alternatingly layered between a TI lamellae layer.

13. The SOT MTJ device of claim 12 , wherein the TI lamellae layers are co-deposited with the clusters of atoms in a modulated orientation.

14. The SOT MTJ device of claim 12 , wherein the TI lamellae layers are co-deposited with the clusters of atoms in an edge orientation.

15. The SOT MTJ device of claim 12 , wherein the TI lamellae layers are co-deposited with the clusters of atoms in a uniformly or non-uniformly distributed orientation.

16. The SOT MTJ device of claim 12 , wherein the carbide material is selected from the group consisting of: ScC, TiC, NbC, ZrC, HfC, TaC, WC, SiC, and composite combinations thereof with one or more elements selected from the group consisting of: W, Al, and Si.

17. The SOT MTJ device of claim 12 , wherein the nitride material is selected from the group consisting of: ScN, TiN, NbN, ZrN, HfN, TaN, GaN, FeN, and composite combinations thereof with one or more elements selected from the group consisting of: W, Al, and Si.

18. The SOT MTJ device of claim 12 , wherein the oxide material is selected from the group consisting of: FeO, CoC, ZrO, MgO, TiO, ZnO, and composite combinations thereof with one or more elements selected from the group consisting of: W, Al, and Si.

19. A magnetoresistive random-access memory device comprising the SOT MTJ device of claim 12 .

20. A magnetic recording device comprising the magnetic recording head of claim 19 .

21. A magneto-resistive memory comprising the SOT MTJ of claim 12 .

22. A spin-orbit torque (SOT) magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device, comprising:

a buffer layer;

an interlayer disposed over the buffer layer; and

a topological insulator (TI) modulation layer disposed between the buffer layer and the interlayer, the TI modulation layer comprising:

a plurality of bismuth or bismuth-rich bismuth antimony (BiSb) composition modulation layers comprising bismuth in an atomic percent of about 96% to about 100%;

a plurality of TI lamellae layers comprising BiSb having a crystal orientation of (012), wherein the TI lamellae layers are co-deposited with clusters of atoms, the clusters of atoms comprising a carbide, a nitride, an oxide, or a composite ceramic material, wherein each TI lamellae layer is disposed in contact with two bismuth or bismuth-rich BiSb composition modulation layers; and

a plurality of texturing layers, wherein each texturing layer is disposed in contact with two bismuth or bismuth-rich BiSb composition modulation layers.

23. The SOT MTJ device of claim 22 , wherein the carbide material is selected from the group consisting of: ScC, TiC, NbC, ZrC, HfC, TaC, WC, SiC, and composite combinations thereof with one or more elements selected from the group consisting of: W, Al, and Si.

24. The SOT MTJ device of claim 22 , wherein the nitride material is selected from the group consisting of: ScN, TiN, NbN, ZrN, HfN, TaN, GaN, FeN, and composite combinations thereof with one or more elements selected from the group consisting of: W, Al, and Si.

25. The SOT MTJ device of claim 22 , wherein the oxide material is selected from the group consisting of: FeO, CoC, ZrO, MgO, TiO, ZnO, and composite combinations thereof with one or more elements selected from the group consisting of: W, Al, and Si.

26. The SOT MTJ device of claim 22 , wherein the composite ceramic material is selected from the group consisting of: Bi, Pb, Ga, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Zr, Nb, Mo, In, Ir, Ru, V, Os, Rh, Pd, WV, CrV, CrNb, Ge, ZnNb, ZnTa, Co, Mg, Sn, Sb, Te, Hf, Ta, W, oxides thereof, nitrides thereof, carbides thereof, and alloys thereof.

27. The SOT MTJ device of claim 22 , wherein a first bismuth or bismuth-rich BiSb composition modulation layer of the plurality of bismuth or bismuth-rich BiSb composition modulation layers is disposed in contact with the buffer layer, and a second bismuth or bismuth-rich BiSb composition modulation layer of the plurality of bismuth or bismuth-rich BiSb composition modulation layers is disposed in contact with the interlayer.

28. The SOT MTJ device of claim 22 , wherein the interlayer comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of: a tetragonal (001) material, a tetragonal (110) material, a body-centered cubic (bcc) (100) material, a face-centered cubic (fcc) (100) material, a textured bcc (100) material, a textured fcc (100) material, a textured (100) material, a textured fcc (111) material, a textured hcp (002) material, an amorphous material comprising covalently bonded carbide, oxide, or nitride, an amorphous metallic material, and a layered combination of one or more of any of the preceding materials.

29. The SOT MTJ device of claim 22 , wherein the buffer layer comprises one or more sublayers comprising one or more materials selected from the group consisting of: a tetragonal (001) material, a tetragonal (110) material, a body-centered cubic (bcc) (100) material, a face-centered cubic (fcc) (100) material, a textured bcc (100) material, a textured fcc (100) material, a textured (100) material, a textured fcc (111) material, a textured hcp (002) material, an amorphous metallic material, an amorphous material comprising covalently bonded carbide, oxide, or nitride, and a layered combination of one or more of any of the preceding materials.

30. A magnetoresistive random-access memory device comprising the SOT MTJ device of claim 22 .

31. A magnetic recording device comprising the magnetic recording head of claim 30 .

32. A magneto-resistive memory comprising the SOT MTJ of claim 22 .

Assignments (5)
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - A&R LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 064715/0001 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - DDTL LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 067045/0156 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 058426 FRAME 0815 Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 058965/0679 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2021
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 058426/0815 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 26, 2021
From: LE, QUANG; YORK, BRIAN R.; HWANG, CHERNGYE; OKAMURA, SUSUMU; LIU, XIAOYONG; HO, KUOK SAN; TAKANO, HISASHI
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 057301/0632 →
Cited By (5)
US 12,354,627 US 12,408,560 US 12,567,438 US 12,688,869 US 12,694,895