Method of forming a magnetic tunnel junction device

1. A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device comprising:

a substrate including a trench;

a conductive terminal disposed within the trench, wherein the conductive terminal comprises:

a first conductive terminal disposed within the trench, wherein the first conductive terminal forms a first electrode; and

a second conductive terminal disposed within the trench, wherein the second conductive terminal forms a second electrode; and

a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure disposed within the trench, the MTJ structure including a fixed magnetic layer having a fixed magnetic orientation, a tunnel junction layer, and a free magnetic layer having a configurable magnetic orientation, the fixed magnetic layer coupled to the conductive terminal along an interface that extends substantially normal to a surface of the substrate, the free magnetic layer proximate to the conductive terminal to carry a magnetic domain configured to represent a digital value,

wherein the fixed magnetic layer includes a first portion coupled to the first conductive terminal via the anti-ferromagnetic layer along a first interface that extends substantially normal to a surface of the substrate,

wherein the fixed magnetic layer includes a second portion coupled to the second conductive terminal via the anti-ferromagnetic layer along a second interface that extends substantially normal to the surface of the substrate, and

wherein the fixed magnetic layer includes a bottom portion that extends substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate.

2. The MTJ device of claim 1 , wherein the MTJ structure is substantially u-shaped.

3. The MTJ device of claim 1 , wherein the first conductive terminal is electrically isolated from the second conductive terminal.

4. The MTJ device of claim 1 , wherein the fixed magnetic layer is coupled to the conductive terminal via an anti-ferromagnetic layer.

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

a tunnel junction barrier disposed within the trench, the tunnel junction barrier including a first junction portion contacting the first portion of the fixed magnetic layer along a third interface that extends substantially normal to the surface of the substrate, the tunnel junction barrier further including a second junction portion contacting the second portion of the fixed magnetic layer along a fourth interface that extends substantially normal to the surface of the substrate;

wherein the free magnetic layer includes a first free portion contacting the first junction portion along a fifth interface that extends substantially normal to the surface of the substrate and includes a second free portion contacting the first junction portion along a sixth interface that extends substantially normal to the surface of the substrate.

6. A method of forming a magnetic tunnel junction device, the method comprising:

forming a trench in a substrate, the trench including a plurality of sidewalls and a bottom wall;

depositing a first conductive material within the trench proximate to one of the plurality of sidewalls and depositing a second conductive material within the trench;

depositing a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure within the trench, the MTJ structure including a fixed magnetic layer having a magnetic field with a fixed magnetic orientation, a tunnel junction layer, and a free magnetic layer having a magnetic field with a configurable magnetic orientation; and

selectively removing a portion of the MTJ structure to create an opening such that the MTJ structure is substantially u-shaped.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the free magnetic layer includes a first portion adapted to carry a first magnetic domain to store a first digital value and the free magnetic layer includes a second portion adapted to carry a second magnetic domain to store a second digital value.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first conductive material forms a first lateral electrode and wherein the second conductive material forms a second lateral electrode.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein selectively removing the portion of the MTJ structure comprises performing a photo-etching process to define a pattern on the MTJ structure and to remove the portion of the MTJ structure according to the pattern.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the MTJ structure is adjacent to the plurality of sidewalls at a plurality of lateral interfaces and adjacent to the bottom wall at a bottom interface.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of lateral interfaces extend approximately perpendicular to a surface of the substrate.

12. A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device comprising:

a substrate including a trench having a first sidewall and a second sidewall;

a first electrode disposed within the trench adjacent to the first sidewall;

a second electrode disposed within the trench adjacent to the second sidewall;

a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure disposed within the trench, the MTJ structure including a fixed magnetic layer having a magnetic field with a fixed magnetic orientation, a tunnel junction layer, and a free magnetic layer having a magnetic field with a configurable magnetic orientation, the MTJ structure contacting the first electrode at a first interface and contacting the second electrode at a second interface; and

a bottom electrode disposed within the trench adjacent to a bottom wall of the trench;

wherein the free magnetic layer includes a bottom portion adjacent to the bottom electrode, the bottom portion configured to carry a magnetic domain to store a digital value.

13. The MTJ device of claim 12 , wherein the free magnetic layer includes:

a first portion adjacent to the first electrode adapted to carry a first magnetic domain to store a first digital value; and

a second portion adjacent to the second electrode adapted to carry a second magnetic domain to store a second digital value.

14. The MTJ device of claim 13 , wherein the trench includes a third sidewall, and further comprising:

a third electrode disposed within the trench adjacent to the third sidewall;

wherein the free magnetic layer includes a third portion adjacent to the third electrode, the third portion adapted to carry a third magnetic domain to store a third digital value.

15. The MTJ device of claim 14 , further comprising:

a top electrode coupled to a bit line;

a first switch including a first terminal coupled to the first electrode, a first control terminal coupled to a word line, and a second terminal coupled to a first source line;

a second switch including a third terminal coupled to the second electrode, a second control terminal coupled to the word line, and a fourth terminal coupled to a second source line; and

a third switch including a fifth terminal coupled to the third electrode, a third control terminal coupled to the word line, and a sixth terminal coupled to a third source line.

16. The MTJ device of claim 12 , wherein the first sidewall has a length extending substantially perpendicular to a surface of the substrate and a depth extending substantially parallel to the surface, and wherein a ratio of the length to the depth defines an orientation of the magnetic domain of the first portion of the free layer.

17. The MTJ device of claim 16 , wherein when the length is greater than the depth, the magnetic domain is oriented in a direction that is substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate.

18. The MTJ device of claim 16 , wherein when the length is less than the depth, the magnetic domain is oriented in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate.