Multilevel antiferromagnetic memory device
A memory device includes a first conductor, a first stacked body on the first conductor, a second conductor on the first stacked body, a second stacked body on the second conductor, and a third conductor on the second stacked body. The first stacked body includes a first ferromagnetic layer, a first insulating layer, a second ferromagnetic layer, a non-magnetic first metal layer, and a third ferromagnetic layer stacked in order from a side of the first conductor. The second and third ferromagnetic layers have magnetizations in opposite directions. The second stacked body includes a fourth ferromagnetic layer, a second insulating layer, a fifth ferromagnetic layer, a non-magnetic second metal layer, and a sixth ferromagnetic layer stacked in order from a side of the second conductor. The fifth and sixth ferromagnetic layers have magnetizations in opposite directions. The sixth ferromagnetic layer has a larger volume than the third ferromagnetic layer.
1 . A memory device comprising:
a first conductor;
a first stacked body having a bottom surface in contact with an upper surface of the first conductor, the first stacked body including a first variable resistance element, a first ferromagnetic layer, a first insulating layer, a second ferromagnetic layer, a non-magnetic first metal layer, and a third ferromagnetic layer stacked in order from a side of the first conductor, wherein the second ferromagnetic layer and the third ferromagnetic layer have magnetizations in opposite directions;
a second conductor having a bottom surface in contact with an upper surface of the first stacked body;
a second stacked body having a bottom surface in contact with an upper surface of the second conductor, the second stacked body including a second variable resistance element, a fourth ferromagnetic layer, a second insulating layer, a fifth ferromagnetic layer, a non-magnetic second metal layer, and a sixth ferromagnetic layer stacked in order from a side of the second conductor, wherein the fifth ferromagnetic layer and the sixth ferromagnetic layer have magnetizations in opposite directions, and the sixth ferromagnetic layer has a volume larger than a volume of the third ferromagnetic layer; and
a third conductor having a bottom surface in contact with an upper surface of the second stacked body.
2 . The memory device according to claim 1 , wherein
the sixth ferromagnetic layer includes a first portion that has substantially the same thickness as the third ferromagnetic layer and a second portion stacked on top of the first portion.
3 . The memory device according to claim 2 , wherein
the second ferromagnetic layer and the third ferromagnetic layer are anti-ferromagnetically coupled, and
the fifth ferromagnetic layer and the sixth ferromagnetic layer are anti-ferromagnetically coupled.
4 . The memory device according to claim 3 , wherein
the first metal layer has a thickness that allows the second ferromagnetic layer and the third ferromagnetic layer to be anti-ferromagnetically coupled, and
the second metal layer has a thickness that allows the fifth ferromagnetic layer and the sixth ferromagnetic layer to be anti-ferromagnetically coupled.
5 . The memory device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first circuit connected to the first conductor and the second conductor to allow a current to flow from the second ferromagnetic layer toward the first ferromagnetic layer, and connected to the second conductor and the third conductor to allow a current to flow from the fourth ferromagnetic layer to the fifth ferromagnetic layer.
6 . The memory device according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a first sense amplifier circuit connected to the first conductor; and
a second sense amplifier circuit connected to the third conductor.
7 . The memory device according to claim 6 , wherein
the first circuit includes
a first driver circuit configured to apply a first voltage to the first conductor,
a second driver circuit configured to apply a second voltage higher than the first voltage to the second conductor, and
a third driver circuit configured to apply a third voltage lower than the second voltage to the third conductor.
8 . The memory device according to claim 7 , wherein
the first driver circuit includes a p-type first MOSFET connected between the first conductor and a node having a fourth voltage lower than the first voltage, and
the third driver circuit includes a p-type second MOSFET connected between the third conductor and a node having the fourth voltage.
9 . The memory device according to claim 1 , wherein
the first stacked body and the second stacked body are each a magnetic tunnel junction element, and
the first stacked body goes into a low resistance state in response to a current having at least a first magnitude flowing therethrough in a direction from the first conductor to the second conductor, and the second stacked body goes into a low resistance state in response to a current of at least a second magnitude, which is larger than the first magnitude, flowing therethrough in a direction from the second conductor to the third conductor.
10 . The memory device according to claim 9 , wherein
the first stacked body goes into a high resistance state in response to a current having at least a third magnitude flowing therethrough in a direction from the second conductor to the first conductor, and the second stacked body goes into a high resistance state in response to a current of at least a fourth magnitude, which is smaller than the third magnitude, flowing therethrough in a direction from the third conductor to the second conductor.
11 . A memory device comprising:
a plurality of first word lines extending in a first direction;
a plurality of bit lines above the first word lines and extending in a second direction crossing the first direction;
a plurality of second word lines above the bit lines and extending in the first direction;
a plurality of lower memory cells, each of which is located between one of the first word lines and one of the bit lines; and
a plurality of upper memory cells, each of which is located between one of the bit lines and one of the second word lines,
each of the lower memory cells including a first variable resistance element, a first ferromagnetic layer, a first insulating layer, a second ferromagnetic layer, a non-magnetic first metal layer, and a third ferromagnetic layer stacked in order in a third direction crossing the first and second directions such that the first variable resistance element is in contact with an upper surface of said one of the first word lines and said one of the bit lines is in contact with an upper surface of the third ferromagnetic layer, wherein the second ferromagnetic layer and the third ferromagnetic layer have magnetizations in opposite directions, and
each of the upper memory cells including a second variable resistance element, a fourth ferromagnetic layer, a second insulating layer, a fifth ferromagnetic layer, a non-magnetic second metal layer, and a sixth ferromagnetic layer stacked in order in the third direction such that the second variable resistance element is in contact with an upper surface of said one of the bit lines and said one of the second word lines is in contact with an upper surface of the sixth ferromagnetic layer, wherein the fifth ferromagnetic layer and the sixth ferromagnetic layer have magnetizations in opposite directions,
wherein each of the lower memory cells goes into a low resistance state in response to a current having at least a first magnitude flowing therethrough in a direction from the first word lines to the bit lines, and each of the upper memory cells goes into a low resistance state in response to a current of at least a second magnitude, which is larger than the first magnitude, flowing therethrough in a direction from the bit lines to the second word lines, and
wherein each of the lower memory cells goes into a high resistance state in response to a current having at least a third magnitude flowing therethrough in a direction from the bit lines to the first word lines, and each of the upper memory cells goes into a high resistance state in response to a current of at least a fourth magnitude, which is smaller than the third magnitude, flowing therethrough in a direction from the second word lines to the bit lines.
12 . The memory device according to claim 11 , wherein the sixth ferromagnetic layer has a volume larger than a volume of the third ferromagnetic layer.
13 . The memory device according to claim 12 , wherein
the sixth ferromagnetic layer includes a first portion that has substantially the same thickness as the third ferromagnetic layer and a second portion stacked on top of the first portion.
14 . The memory device according to claim 12 , wherein
the second ferromagnetic layer and the third ferromagnetic layer are anti-ferromagnetically coupled, and
the fifth ferromagnetic layer and the sixth ferromagnetic layer are anti-ferromagnetically coupled.
15 . The memory device according to claim 14 , wherein
the first metal layer has a thickness that allows the second ferromagnetic layer and the third ferromagnetic layer to be anti-ferromagnetically coupled, and
the second metal layer has a thickness that allows the fifth ferromagnetic layer and the sixth ferromagnetic layer to be anti-ferromagnetically coupled.
16 . The memory device according to claim 15 , further comprising:
a first sense amplifier circuit connected to each of the first word lines; and
a second sense amplifier circuit connected to each of the second word lines.
17 . The memory device according to claim 16 , further comprising:
a first driver circuit configured to apply a first voltage to the first word lines,
a second driver circuit configured to apply a second voltage higher than the first voltage to the bit lines, and
a third driver circuit configured to apply a third voltage lower than the second voltage to the second word lines.
18 . The memory device according to claim 17 , wherein
the first driver circuit includes a p-type first MOSFET connected between the first word lines and a node having a fourth voltage lower than the first voltage, and
the third driver circuit includes a p-type second MOSFET connected between the second word lines and a node having the fourth voltage.
19 . A memory device comprising:
a first conductor;
a first stacked body above the first conductor, the first stacked body including a first variable resistance element, a first ferromagnetic layer above the first variable resistance element, a first insulating layer above the first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer above the first insulating layer, a non-magnetic first metal layer above the second ferromagnetic layer, and a third ferromagnetic layer above the non-magnetic first metal layer, wherein the second ferromagnetic layer and the third ferromagnetic layer have magnetizations in opposite directions;
a second conductor above the first stacked body;
a second stacked body above the second conductor, the second stacked body including a second variable resistance element, a fourth ferromagnetic layer above the second variable resistance element, a second insulating layer above the fourth ferromagnetic layer, a fifth ferromagnetic layer above the second insulating layer, a non-magnetic second metal layer above the fifth ferromagnetic layer, and a sixth ferromagnetic layer above the non-magnetic second metal layer, wherein the fifth ferromagnetic layer and the sixth ferromagnetic layer have magnetizations in opposite directions, and the sixth ferromagnetic layer has a volume larger than a volume of the third ferromagnetic layer; and
a third conductor above the second stacked body.