Qualcomm Incorporated

Applied Materials, Inc.

Western Digital (fremont), Inc.

Hgst Netherlands, B.v.

Chando Park

Seung Hyuk Kang

Mahendra Pakala

Jimmy Jianan Kan

Kangho Lee

Matthias Georg Gottwald

Jaesoo Ahn

Lin Xue

Xiaochun Zhu

Yu Lu

Wei-Chuan Chen

Qunwen Leng

Sungryul Kim

Sangmun Oh

Peiyuan Wang

Zheng Gao

Hsin-wei Tseng

Chentsau Chris Ying

Sahil Patel

Jong Mun Kim

Minrui Yu

Xia Li

James Mac Freitag

Liubo Hong

Rongfu Xiao

Huixiong Dai

Vladimir Machkaoutsan

Mustafa Badaroglu

Christopher S Ngai

Wenhui Wang

Chi Hong Ching

Hochul Lee

Srinivas D Nemani

Ellie Y Yieh

Quang Le

Yimin Guo

Rashid Ahmed Akbar Attar

Jung Pill Kim

Richard Hsiao

Christian Kaiser

Sining Mao

Jui-lung Li

Susumu Okamura

Adam Edward Newham

Honglin Zhu

Hicham Moulay Sougrati

Mang-Mang Ling

Chang-Man Park

Min Zhou

Hsin-Wei Tseng

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally include spin-orbit torque magnetoresistive random-access memory (SOT-MRAM) devices and methods of manufacture thereof. The SOT-MRAM devices described herein include an SOT layer laterally aligned with a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack and formed over a trench in an interconnect. Thus, the presence of the SOT layer outside the area of the MTJ stack is eliminated, and electric current passes from the interconnect to the SOT layer by SOT-interconnect overlap. The devices and methods described herein reduce the formation of shunting current and enable the MTJ to self-align with the SOT layer in a single etching process.

Spin-orbit torque MRAM structure and manufacture thereof

Implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to a memory device. More specifically, implementations described herein generally relate to a SOT-MRAM. The SOT-MRAM includes a memory cell having a magnetic storage layer disposed side by side and in contact with a SOT layer. The side by side magnetic storage layer and the SOT layer can achieve the switching of the magnetic storage layer by reversing the direction of the electrical current flowing through the SOT layer without any additional conditions.

Magnetic memory devices and methods of formation

Embodiments of the disclosure provide methods and apparatus for fabricating magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structures on a substrate in for hybrid (or called integrated) spin-orbit-torque magnetic spin-transfer-torque magnetic random access memory (SOT-STT MRAM) applications. In one embodiment, the method includes one or more magnetic tunnel junction structures disposed on a substrate, the magnetic tunnel junction structure comprising a first ferromagnetic layer and a second ferromagnetic layer sandwiching a tunneling barrier layer, a spin orbit torque (SOT) layer disposed on the magnetic tunnel junction structure, and a back end structure disposed on the spin orbit torque (SOT) layer.

Methods for forming structures for MRAM applications

Embodiments of the disclosure provide methods and apparatus for fabricating magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structures on a substrate for MRAM applications. In one embodiment, a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device structure includes a junction structure disposed on a substrate, the junction structure comprising a first ferromagnetic layer and a second ferromagnetic layer sandwiching a tunneling barrier layer, a dielectric capping layer disposed on the junction structure, a metal capping layer disposed on the junction structure, and a top buffer layer disposed on the metal capping layer.

Top buffer layer for magnetic tunnel junction application

A film stack for a magnetic tunnel comprises a substrate, a magnetic reference layer disposed over the substrate, and a tunnel barrier layer disposed over the magnetic reference layer. The film stack further comprises a magnetic storage layer disposed over the tunnel barrier layer, and a capping layer disposed over the magnetic storage layer. Further, the film stack comprises at least one protection layer disposed between the magnetic reference layer and the tunnel barrier layer and disposed between the magnetic storage layer and the capping layer. Additionally, a material forming the at least one protection layer differs from at least one of a material forming the magnetic reference layer and a material forming the magnetic storage layer.

Magnetic tunnel junctions with protection layers

Embodiments of the disclosure provide methods and apparatus for fabricating magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structures on a substrate for MRAM applications. In one embodiment, a method for forming a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device structure includes performing a patterning process by an ion beam etching process in a processing chamber to pattern a film stack disposed on a substrate, wherein the film stack comprises a reference layer, a tunneling barrier layer and a free layer disposed on the tunneling barrier, and determining an end point for the patterning process.

Methods for etching a structure for MRAM applications

A perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction may include a free layer, a reference layer, and a barrier layer. The barrier layer may be arranged between the free layer and the reference layer. The barrier layer may include a first interface and a second interface. The first interface may face the free layer, and a second interface may face the reference layer. The first interface may not physically correlate with the second interface.

Engineered barrier layer interface for high speed spin-transfer torque magnetic random access memory

The bottom-pinned spin-orbit torque (SOT) MRAM devices are fabricated to form high quality interfaces between layers including the spin-orbit torque (SOT) layer and the free layer of the magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) by forming those layers under vacuum, without breaking vacuum in between formation of the layers. An encapsulation layer is used as an etch stop and to protect the free layer. The encapsulation layer is etched back prior to the deposition of a metal layer. The metal layer forms a plurality of metal lines that are electrically connected to two or more sides of the SOT layer and are electrically coupled to the SOT layer to transfer current through the SOT layer. The metal lines are not in contact with a top surface of the SOT layer which has a dielectric layer disposed thereon.

Spin orbit torque MRAM and manufacture thereof

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to protecting the contents of memory in an electronic device, and in particular to systems and methods for transferring data between memories of an electronic device in the presence of strong magnetic fields. In one embodiment, a method of protecting data in a memory in an electronic device includes storing data in a first memory in the electronic device; determining, via a magnetic sensor, a strength of an ambient magnetic field; comparing the strength of the ambient magnetic field to a threshold; transferring the data in the first memory to a second memory in the electronic device upon determining that the strength of the ambient magnetic field exceeds the threshold; and transferring the data from the second memory to the first memory upon determining that the strength of the ambient magnetic field no longer exceeds the threshold.

Dynamic memory protection

Aspects disclosed include spin-orbit torque (SOT) magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) (SOT-MTJ) devices employing perpendicular and in-plane free layer magnetic anisotropy to facilitate perpendicular magnetic orientation switching. A free layer in a MTJ in the SOT-MTJ device includes both a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) region(s) and an in-plane magnetic anisotropy (IMA) region(s). A spin torque is generated in the free layer when a SOT switching current flows through an electrode adjacent to the free layer sufficient to switch the magnetic moment of the free layer to an in-plane magnetic orientation. To prevent a non-deterministic perpendicular magnetic orientation after the SOT switching current is removed, the free layer also includes the IMA region(s) to provide an in-plane magnetization to generate an effective magnetic field in the free layer to assist in switching the magnetic moment of the free layer past an in-plane magnetic orientation to a perpendicular magnetic orientation.

Spin-orbit torque (SOT) magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) (SOT-MTJ) devices employing perpendicular and in-plane free layer magnetic anisotropy to facilitate perpendicular magnetic orientation switching, suitable for use in memory systems for storing data

Exemplary features pertain to secure communications using Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) devices. Segments of a message to be encrypted are sequentially applied to a PUF device as a series of challenges to obtain a series of responses for generating a sequence of encryption keys, whereby a previous segment of the message is used to obtain a key for encrypting a subsequent segment of the message. The encrypted message is sent to a separate (receiving) device that employs a logical copy of the PUF device for decrypting the message. The logical copy of the PUF may be a lookup table or the like that maps all permissible challenges to corresponding responses for the PUF and may be generated in advance and stored in memory of the receiving device. The data to be encrypted may be further encoded to more fully exercise the PUF to enhance security. Decryption operations are also described.

Message-based key generation using physical unclonable function (PUF)

Aspects of the disclosure provide magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) and methods. The MRAM generally includes a first magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) storage element comprising a first fixed layer, a first insulating layer, and a first free layer, and a second MTJ storage element comprising a second fixed layer, a second insulating layer, and a second free layer. The MRAM further includes a conductive layer connected to a source line, first bit line, and a second bit line, wherein the first MTJ storage element is disposed above and connected to the conductive layer and the first bit line at a first end and connected to the first bit line at a second end, and wherein the second MTJ storage element is disposed above and connected to the conductive layer and the second bit line at a first end and connected to the second bit line at a second end.

Differential spin orbit torque magnetic random access memory (SOT-MRAM) cell structure and array

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Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Chando Park