IP Library Patent Application 15247293
Patent Application
App. No. 15/247,293

MAGNETORESISTIVE RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY (MRAM) WITH AN INTERCONNECT THAT GENERATES A SPIN CURRENT AND A MAGNETIC FIELD EFFECT

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Patent No.
US None
App. No.
15/247,293
Abstract

An MRAM cell having an MTJ stack with a free layer and an interconnect configured to generate a spin current and a magnetic field effect that is used to affect the magnetic moment of the free layer. The interconnect may comprise a Spin Hall lead. The interconnect may comprise an antiferromagnetic material. An MRAM cell array may include a plurality of bit elements each configured to store at least one bit, an interconnect coupled to the plurality of bit elements, and a transistor formed at a periphery of the MRAM cell array and configured to supply a current to the plurality of bit elements via the interconnect. The interconnect may be configured to generate a spin current and a magnetic field effect that is used to affect the magnetic moment of the free layer of each of the plurality of bit elements.

Claims (40)

1 . A magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) cell, comprising:

a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack having a free layer; and

an interconnect configured to generate a spin current and a magnetic field effect that is used to affect the magnetic moment of the free layer.

2 . The MRAM cell of claim 1 , wherein the interconnect comprises a Spin Hall lead.

3 . The MRAM cell of claim 1 , wherein the interconnect comprises an antiferromagnetic material.

4 . The MRAM cell of claim 3 , wherein the antiferromagnetic material includes at least one of chromium (Cr), nickel oxide (NiO), iron oxide (FeO), iridium manganese (IrMn), iron manganese (FeMn), or platinum manganese (PtMn).

5 . The MRAM cell of claim 1 , further comprising:

an enhancement layer located between the interconnect and the MTJ stack, wherein the enhancement layer comprises at least one of hafnium (Hf), iridium (Ir), tantalum (Ta), palladium (Pd), and platinum (Pt).

6 . The MRAM cell of claim 5 , wherein the enhancement layer comprises a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy enhancement layer having a thickness of less than 2 nm.

7 . The MRAM cell of claim 1 , wherein the MTJ stack further comprises:

a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy reference layer; and

a tunnel barrier layer between the reference layer and the free layer,

wherein each of the free layer and the reference layer comprises a ferromagnetic material.

8 . A magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) cell array, comprising:

a plurality of bit elements each configured to store at least one bit;

an interconnect coupled to the plurality of bit elements; and

at least one transistor formed at a periphery of the MRAM cell array and configured to supply a current to the plurality of bit elements via the interconnect,

wherein the interconnect is configured to generate a spin current and a magnetic field effect that is used to affect the magnetic moment of the free layer of each of the plurality of bit elements.

9 . A magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) cell, comprising:

a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack having a free layer; and

an antiferromagnetic material exchange coupled to the free layer and configured to generate a spin current.

10 . The MRAM cell of claim 9 , wherein the antiferromagnetic material comprises a Spin Hall lead.

11 . The MRAM cell of claim 9 , wherein the antiferromagnetic material includes at least one of chromium (Cr), nickel oxide (NiO), iron oxide (FeO), iridium manganese (IrMn), iron manganese (FeMn), or platinum manganese (PtMn).

12 . The MRAM cell of claim 9 , further comprising:

an enhancement layer located between the antiferromagnetic material and the MTJ stack, wherein the enhancement layer comprises at least one of hafnium (Hf), iridium (Ir), tantalum (Ta), palladium (Pd), and platinum (Pt).

13 . The MRAM cell of claim 12 , wherein the enhancement layer comprises a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy enhancement layer having a thickness of less than 2 nm.

14 . The MRAM cell of claim 9 , wherein the MTJ stack further comprises:

a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy reference layer; and

a tunnel barrier layer between the reference layer and the free layer,

wherein each of the free layer and the reference layer comprises a ferromagnetic material.

15 . A magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) cell, comprising:

a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack having a free layer with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and a tunnel barrier deposited directly on a side of the free layer; and

an interconnect positioned on an opposite side of the free layer and configured to generate a spin current.

16 . The MRAM cell of claim 15 , wherein the interconnect comprises an antiferromagnetic material Spin Hall lead.

17 . The MRAM cell of claim 16 , wherein the antiferromagnetic material includes at least one of chromium (Cr), nickel oxide (NiO), iron oxide (FeO), iridium manganese (IrMn), iron manganese (FeMn), or platinum manganese (PtMn).

18 . The MRAM cell of claim 15 , further comprising:

an enhancement layer located between the interconnect and the MTJ stack, wherein the enhancement layer comprises at least one of hafnium (Hf), iridium (Ir), tantalum (Ta), palladium (Pd), and platinum (Pt).

19 . The MRAM cell of claim 18 , wherein the enhancement layer comprises a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy enhancement layer having a thickness of less than 2 nm.

20 . The MRAM cell of claim 15 , wherein the MTJ stack further comprises:

a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy reference layer on the opposite side of the tunnel barrier from the free layer, wherein each of the free layer and the reference layer comprises a ferromagnetic material.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE INCORRECT SERIAL NO 15/025,946 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 040831 FRAME: 0265. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Sep 15, 2017
From: HGST NETHERLANDS B.V.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 043973/0762 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 6, 2016
From: HGST NETHERLANDS B.V.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 040831/0265 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 25, 2016
From: BRAGANCA, PATRICK MESQUITA
To: HGST NETHERLANDS B.V.
Reel/Frame 039542/0606 →