IP Library Granted Patent US 8,023,316
Granted Patent B2
US 8,023,316 · App. 12/899,645 · Granted Sep 20, 2011

Magnetic tunnel junction with compensation element

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,023,316
App. No.
12/899,645
Granted
Sep 20, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A magnetic tunnel junction having a compensation element is disclosed. The magnetic tunnel junction includes a synthetic antiferromagnetic reference element, and a synthetic antiferromagnetic compensation element having an opposite magnetization moment to a magnetization moment of the synthetic antiferromagnetic reference element. A free magnetic layer is between the synthetic antiferromagnetic reference element and the synthetic antiferromagnetic compensation element, and an electrically insulating and non-magnetic tunneling barrier layer separates the free magnetic layer from the synthetic antiferromagnetic reference element. The free magnetic layer includes Co 100-X-Y Fe X B Y wherein X is a value being greater than 30 and Y is a value being greater than 15.

Claims (36)

1. A magnetic tunnel junction, comprising:

a synthetic antiferromagnetic reference element;

a synthetic antiferromagnetic compensation element having an opposite magnetization moment to a magnetization moment of the synthetic antiferromagnetic reference element;

a free magnetic layer between the synthetic antiferromagnetic reference element and the synthetic antiferromagnetic compensation element, the free magnetic layer comprises Co 100-X-Y Fe X B Y wherein X is a value being greater than 30 and Y is a value being greater than 15;

an electrically insulating and non-magnetic tunneling barrier layer separating the free magnetic layer from the synthetic antiferromagnetic reference element; and

an electrically insulating layer separating the synthetic antiferromagnetic compensation element from the free magnetic layer.

2. A magnetic tunnel junction according to claim 1 , wherein the free magnetic element has a saturation moment value greater than 1100 emu/cc.

3. A magnetic tunnel junction according to claim 1 , wherein the free magnetic element has a saturation moment value greater than 1500 emu/cc.

4. A magnetic tunnel junction according to claim 1 , wherein the electrically insulating layer has a thickness in a range from 3 to 15 Angstroms.

5. A magnetic tunnel junction according to claim 4 , wherein the electrically insulating layer is an electrically insulating and electronically reflective layer.

6. A magnetic tunnel junction according to claim 4 , further comprising an electrically conductive and non-ferromagnetic spacer layer disposed between the synthetic antiferromagnetic compensation element and the electrically insulating layer.

7. A magnetic tunnel junction according to claim 6 , wherein the synthetic antiferromagnetic compensation element comprises a Ru, Pd or Cr spacer layer and the non-ferromagnetic spacer layer comprises Ta, Cu, Al, Mg, or Au.

8. A magnetic tunnel junction according to claim 5 , wherein the electrically insulating and electronically reflective layer comprises TaO, AlO, MgO, SiO, TiO, NiO, TaN, or AlN and has an area resistance value in a range from 1 to 50 ohmμm 2 .

9. A magnetic tunnel junction, comprising:

a synthetic antiferromagnetic reference element;

a synthetic antiferromagnetic compensation element;

a free magnetic layer between the synthetic antiferromagnetic reference element and the synthetic antiferromagnetic compensation element, the free magnetic layer comprises Co 100-X-Y Fe X B Y wherein X is a value being greater than 30 and Y is a value being greater than 15;

an electrically insulating and non-magnetic tunneling barrier layer separating the free magnetic layer from the synthetic antiferromagnetic reference element; and

an electrically insulating and electronically reflective layer having a thickness in a range from 3 to 15 Angstroms and being between the synthetic antiferromagnetic compensation element from the free magnetic layer.

10. A magnetic tunnel junction according to claim 9 , wherein the electrically insulating and electronically reflective layer comprises TaO, AlO, MgO, SiO, TiO, NiO, TaN, or AlN and has an area resistance value in a range from 1 to 50 ohmμm 2 .

11. A magnetic tunnel junction according to claim 9 , further comprising an electrically conductive and non-ferromagnetic spacer layer disposed between the synthetic antiferromagnetic compensation element and the electrically insulating and electronically reflective layer.

12. A magnetic tunnel junction according to claim 11 , wherein the synthetic antiferromagnetic compensation element comprises a Ru, Pd or Cr spacer layer and the non-ferromagnetic spacer layer comprises Ta, Cu, Al, Mg, or Au.

13. A magnetic tunnel junction according to claim 9 , wherein the free magnetic element has a saturation moment value greater than 1100 emu/cc.

14. A magnetic tunnel junction according to claim 9 , wherein the free magnetic element has a saturation moment value greater than 1500 emu/cc.

15. A magnetic tunnel junction according to claim 9 , wherein the synthetic antiferromagnetic reference element comprises a first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer and a third magnetic layer antiferromagnetically coupled to each other and a first spacer layer separates the first and second ferromagnetic layers and a second spacer layer separates the second and third ferromagnetic layers, and a first antiferromagetic layer is adjacent to the first ferromagnetic layer, the first, second and third ferromagnetic layers comprise ferromagnetic material having a spin polarization of more than 0.5.

16. A magnetic tunnel junction according to claim 15 , wherein the synthetic antiferromagnetic compensation element comprises a fourth ferromagnetic layer and a fifth ferromagnetic layer antiferromagnetically coupled to each other and a third spacer layer separates the fourth and fifth ferromagnetic layers, and a second antiferromagetic layer is adjacent to the fifth ferromagnetic layer, the fourth and fifth ferromagnetic layers comprise ferromagnetic material having a spin polarization in a range from 0.2 to 0.9 and, spin polarization from the free magnetic layer/electrically insulating and electronically reflective layer/synthetic antiferromagnetic compensation element is less than 0.4.

17. A magnetic tunnel junction, comprising:

a synthetic antiferromagnetic reference element;

a synthetic antiferromagnetic compensation element having an opposite magnetization moment to a magnetization moment of the synthetic antiferromagnetic reference element;

a free magnetic layer between the synthetic antiferromagnetic reference element and the synthetic antiferromagnetic compensation element, the free magnetic layer comprises Co 100-X-Y Fe X B Y wherein X is a value being greater than 30 and Y is a value being greater than 15;

an electrically insulating and non-magnetic tunneling barrier layer separating the free magnetic layer from the synthetic antiferromagnetic reference element;

an electrically insulating and electronically reflective layer having a thickness in a range from 3 to 15 Angstroms and being between the synthetic antiferromagnetic compensation element from the free magnetic layer; and

an electrically conductive and non-ferromagnetic spacer layer disposed between the synthetic antiferromagnetic compensation element and the electrically insulating and electronically reflective layer.

18. A magnetic tunnel junction according to claim 17 , wherein the synthetic antiferromagnetic compensation element comprises a Ru, Pd or Cr spacer layer and the non-ferromagnetic spacer layer comprises Ta, Cu, Al, Mg, or Au.

19. A magnetic tunnel junction according to claim 17 , wherein the free magnetic element has a saturation moment value greater than 1500 emu/cc.

20. A magnetic tunnel junction according to claim 17 , wherein the synthetic antiferromagnetic reference element has a spin polarization of greater than 0.5 and the spin polarization from the free magnetic layer/electrically insulating and electronically reflective layer/synthetic antiferromagnetic compensation element is less than 0.4.

Assignments (2)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 23, 2025
From: THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA
To: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY; SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY; SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY HDD HOLDINGS; I365 INC.; SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC; SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL; SEAGATE HDD CAYMAN; SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY (US) HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 072193/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 24, 2011
From: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 026010/0350 →