Magnetic memory device using doped semiconductor layer
Magnetic memory devices are provided. The devices comprise a first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer, and a tunnel barrier layer composed of a doped semiconductor (instead of an insulator or a dielectric) between the first and second ferromagnetic layers and forming at least one ferromagnetic-doped semiconductor interface.
1. A magnetic memory device comprising a first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer, and a tunnel barrier layer composed of a doped semiconductor between the first and second ferromagnetic layers and forming at least one ferromagnetic-doped semiconductor interface, wherein the doped semiconductor is characterized by a carrier concentration of at least 10 15 cm −3 .
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the doped semiconductor has a bandgap of at least 3 eV.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the doped semiconductor has an average thickness of no more than 2 nm.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the doped semiconductor is a doped group III-VI semiconductor.
5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the doped semiconductor is doped (Al,In,Ga) 2 O 3 .
6. The device of claim 4 , wherein the doped semiconductor is a group IV-doped group III-VI semiconductor.
7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the doped semiconductor is a Si-doped group III-VI semiconductor.
8. The device of claim 6 , wherein the doped semiconductor is Si-doped (Al,In,Ga) 2 O 3 .
9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second ferromagnetic layers are independently selected from CoFeB, CoFe, and Fe.
10. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a first electrode and a second electrode configured to apply a voltage across the device.
11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the doped semiconductor is Si-doped (Al,In,Ga) 2 O 3 and the first and second ferromagnetic layers are independently selected from CoFeB, CoFe, and Fe.
12. A computing device comprising a processor and the magnetic memory device of claim 1 .
13. A method of using the magnetic memory device of claim 1 , the method comprising applying a voltage across the device.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the voltage is sufficient to reorient or switch a magnetization of one of the first and second ferromagnetic layers.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the voltage required to reorient or switch a magnetization of one of the first and second ferromagnetic layers depends upon a carrier concentration in the doped semiconductor.
16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the tunnel barrier layer has a composition that is the same throughout the tunnel barrier layer.
17. A magnetic memory device comprising a first ferromagnetic layer composed of CoFeB, a second ferromagnetic layer composed of CoFeB, and a tunnel barrier layer composed of a doped semiconductor between the first and second ferromagnetic layers and forming at least one ferromagnetic-doped semiconductor interface, wherein the doped semiconductor is n-type Si-doped Ga 2 O 3 or p-type Si-doped Ga 2 O 3 .
18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the doped semiconductor is characterized by a carrier concentration of at least 10 15 cm −3 .
19. The device of claim 17 , wherein the tunnel barrier layer has a composition that is the same throughout the tunnel barrier layer.
20. A computing device comprising a processor and the magnetic memory device of claim 17 .