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 free magnetic layer proximate to the conductive terminal and configured to carry a magnetic domain to represent a digital value,

wherein the fixed magnetic layer includes a first portion coupled to the first conductive terminal 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 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 first portion of the fixed magnetic layer is coupled to the first conductive terminal along the first interface via an anti-ferromagnetic layer and wherein the second portion of the fixed magnetic layer is coupled to the second conductive terminal along the second interface via the anti-ferromagnetic layer.

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

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

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

6. 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.

7. 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 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 a free magnetic layer of the MTJ structure includes a bottom portion adjacent to the bottom electrode, the bottom portion configured to carry a magnetic domain to store a digital value.

8. The MTJ device of claim 7 , 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.

9. The MTJ device of claim 8 , 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.

10. The MTJ device of claim 9 , 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.

11. The MTJ device of claim 8 , 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 magnetic layer.

12. The MTJ device of claim 11 , wherein the length is greater than the depth, and the magnetic domain of the first portion of the free magnetic layer is oriented in a direction that is substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate.

13. The MTJ device of claim 11 , wherein the length is less than the depth, and the magnetic domain of the first portion of the free magnetic layer is oriented in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a substrate including a trench;

means for conducting disposed within the trench, wherein the means for conducting 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

means for storing disposed within the trench, the means for storing 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 free magnetic layer proximate to the means for conducting and configured to carry a magnetic domain to represent a digital value,

wherein the fixed magnetic layer includes a first portion coupled to the first conductive terminal 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 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.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first portion of the fixed magnetic layer is coupled to the first conductive terminal along the first interface via an anti-ferromagnetic layer and wherein the second portion of the fixed magnetic layer is coupled to the second conductive terminal along the second interface via the anti-ferromagnetic layer.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the means for storing is substantially u-shaped.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first conductive terminal is electrically isolated from the second conductive terminal.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the fixed magnetic layer is coupled to the means for conducting via an anti-ferromagnetic layer.

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

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

first means for conducting disposed within the trench adjacent to the first sidewall;

second means for conducting disposed within the trench adjacent to the second sidewall;

means for storing disposed within the trench, the means for storing 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 means for storing contacting the first means for conducting at a first interface and contacting the second means for conducting at a second interface; and

third means for conducting disposed within the trench adjacent to a bottom wall of the trench,

wherein the free magnetic layer includes a bottom portion adjacent to the third means for conducting, the bottom portion configured to carry a magnetic domain to store a digital value.

20. The MTJ device of claim 19 , wherein the free magnetic layer includes:

a first portion adjacent to the first means for conducting adapted to carry a first magnetic domain to store a first digital value; and

a second portion adjacent to the second means for conducting adapted to carry a second magnetic domain to store a second digital value.

21. The MTJ device of claim 20 , wherein the trench includes a third sidewall.