Infineon Technologies Ag

Altis Semiconductor

Altis Semiconductor, Snc

Infineon Technologies Aktiengessellschaft

Daniel Braun

Richard Ferrant

Rainer Leuschner

Ulrich Karl Klostermann

Gerhard Mueller

Dietmar Gogl

Peter Beer

Gill Yong Lee

Pascal Louis

A magnetic memory is disclosed. In one embodiment, the magnetic memory array includes a plurality of cell columns and a pair of reference cell columns, including a first reference cell column and a second reference cell column. A comparator is provided with a first and a second input terminal. A switching circuit is configured to connect each of the cell columns to the first input terminal and the pair of reference cell columns coupled in parallel to the second input terminal, and configured to connect the first reference cell column to the first input terminal and the second reference cell column to the second input terminal.

Magnetic Memory Array

A resistive memory cell random access memory device and method for fabrication. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a resistive memory cell random access memory device comprising a plurality of first current lines; a plurality of second current lines; a plurality of third current lines being formed as split current lines; and an array of resistive memory cells arranged in columns defined by said first current lines and rows defined by said third current lines, each resistive memory cell including a resistive memory element and an access transistor connected in series, each memory cell being connected between one of said first current lines and a reference potential, wherein said access transistors being FinFET-type field effect transistors, each one having two independent gates and a common floating body, and wherein each third current line being connected to one of said two independent gates of each one of the access transistors of a row of said array and being connected to one of said two independent gates of each one of the access transistors of an adjacent row of said array. It also relates to a method for its fabrication.

Resistive memory cell random access memory device and method of fabrication

An MRAM memory chip includes a plurality of magnetoresistive memory cells each including a magnetic tunnel junction having first (fixed) and second (free) magnetic regions, where the second magnetic region includes at least two ferromagnetic layers that are antiferromagnetically coupled, wherein a coil surrounds the memory chip for creating a magnetic offset field. Further, a method of writing to an MRAM chip includes bringing the memory cells into an active state exhibiting a reduced switching field before writing thereto and bringing the memory cells into a passive state exhibiting enlarged switching field after writing thereto.

MRAM with coil for creating offset field

A magnetic memory element comprising a magnetic storage element having at least one magnetic layer made of a magnetic material and being vertically oriented relative to a wafer surface on which the magnetic memory element is formed, the magnetic layer having a magnetic anisotropy with its magnetization vector being magnetically coupled to at least one current line, and a magnetic sensor element for sensing the magnetization of the at least one magnetic layer of the magnetic storage element comprising at least one magnetic layer having a magnetization vector being magnetically coupled to the magnetization vector of the at least one magnetic layer of the magnetic storage element, the magnetic sensor element being conductively coupled to the at least one current line.

MRAM with vertical storage element and field sensor

A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device is configured to store at least two bits of data in a single cell utilizing the variable resistance characteristic of a MTJ. The MTJ includes a soft and two fixed magnetic layers with fixed field directions oriented in perpendicular directions. The soft magnetic layer is separated from the fixed layers by insulating layers preferably with different thicknesses, or with different material compositions. The resulting junction resistance can exhibit at least four distinct resistance values dependent on the magnetic orientation of the free magnetic layer. The cell is configured using a pattern with four lobes to store two bits, and eight lobes to store three bits. The resulting cell can be used to provide a fast, non-volatile magnetic random access memory (MRAM) with high density and no need to rewrite stored data after they are read, or as a fast galvanic isolator.

Read out scheme for several bits in a single MRAM soft layer

A double-decker MRAM cell is provided, including a stacked structure of first and second magnetic tunnel junctions. Each magnetic tunnel junction includes first and second free and fixed magnetic regions made of magnetic material separated by a first and second tunneling barrier layers made of non-magnetic material. The fixed magnetic regions are pinned by at least one pinning layer. The first and second fixed magnetizations are oriented in a same magnetic anisotropy axis and are inclined under an angle relative to at least one of said first and second free magnetizations.

Double-decker MRAM cell with rotated reference layer magnetizations

A MRAM storage device comprises a substrate, on/above of which a plurality of word lines, a plurality of bit lines, a plurality of memory cells, and a plurality of isolation diodes are provided. Each memory cell forms a resistive cross point of one word line and one bit line, respectively. Each memory cell is connected to one isolation diode such that a unidirectional conductive path is formed from a word line to a bit line via the corresponding memory cell, respectively. The substrate, at least a part of the word lines or at least a part of the bit lines, and the isolation diodes are realized as one common monocrystal semiconductor block.

MRAM storage device

An MRAM cell includes a magnetic tunnel junction including first and second magnetic regions stacked in a parallel, overlying relationship and separated by a non-magnetic tunneling barrier layer. The first magnetic region includes a reference layer having a fixed magnetization adjacent the tunneling barrier layer. The second magnetic region includes a free layer having first and second free magnetizations aligned with an easy axis of magnetization of the free layer. The first and second free magnetizations are oppositely aligned and separated by a magnetic domain wall. The magnetic domain wall is magnetically movable along the easy axis of the free layer, and the free layer is magnetically coupled to magnetic fields generated by first and second currents running through first and second conductive lines crossing each other, wherein the easy axis of the free layer is inclined under an inclination angle relative to both the first and second conductive lines.

MRAM cell with domain wall switching and field select

The present invention relates to a method of switching a magnetoresistive memory (MRAM) cell including the following steps: providing an MRAM cell having a magnetic tunnel junction including first and second magnetic regions; the first magnetic region exhibiting a fixed magnetization, the second magnetic region exhibiting a free magnetization which is free to be switched between the same and opposite directions with respect to the fixed magnetization of the first magnetic region; the free magnetization being magnetically coupled to magnetic fields generated by first and second currents made to flow through first and second current lines, respectively; switching of the free magnetization by currents made to flow through the first and second current lines; and inverting of flowing directions of first and/or second currents for the switching of the free magnetization such that a respective time-averaged mean value of the first and/or second currents becomes essentially equal to zero.

Method of switching an MRAM cell comprising bidirectional current generation

A double-decker MRAM cell is provided, including a stacked structure of first and second magnetic tunnel junctions. Each magnetic tunnel junction includes free and fixed magnetic regions made of magnetic material separated by a tunneling barrier layer made of non-magnetic material. The fixed magnetic regions are pinned by at least one pinning layer made of the same antiferromagnetic material such that in applying an external magnetic field fixed magnetizations are brought into a scissored configuration.

Double-decker MRAM cells with scissor-state angled reference layer magnetic anisotropy and method for fabricating

A magnetic memory element is disclosed. The magnetic memory element includes a magnetic via for storing information, made of a magnetic material and being vertically oriented relative to a wafer surface on which the magnetic memory element is formed, the magnetic via having a magnetic anisotropy with its magnetization vector being magnetically coupled to at least one current line, and a magnetic sensor element comprising at least one magnetic layer having a magnetization vector being magnetically coupled to the magnetization vector of the magnetic via, wherein the magnetic sensor element being conductively connected to said at least one current line.

MRAM with magnetic via for storage of information and field sensor

A magnetoresistive memory cell includes a magnetic tunnel junction including first (fixed) and second (free) magnetic regions, where the second magnetic region includes at least two ferromagnetic layers being antiferromagnetically coupled. The magnetoresistive memory cell further includes a switchable ferromagnetic offset field layer being provided with a free magnetic moment vector that is freely switchable between the same and opposite directions with respect to the fixed magnetic moment vector of the first magnetic region. A method of switching a magnetoresistive memory cell includes adiabatic rotational switching, where the memory cell is brought in an active state exhibiting reduced switching fields before its switching and is brought in a passive state exhibiting enlarged switching fields after its switching.

MRAM with switchable ferromagnetic offset layer

A magnetic memory element including a magnetic storage element including two magnetic layers made of magnetic material, said two magnetic layers opposing each other in a parallel relationship and being vertically oriented relative to a wafer surface on which the magnetic memory element is formed, said two magnetic layers further having a magnetic anisotropy, while its magnetization vectors are magnetically coupled to at least one current line, wherein said two magnetic layers are arranged on a same side of said at least one current line, and a magnetic sensor element including at least one magnetic layer having a magnetization vector being magnetically coupled to said magnetization vectors of said two magnetic layers of said magnetic storage element, said magnetic sensor element being electrically coupled to said at least one current line.

MRAM with vertical storage element in two layer-arrangement and field sensor

A magnetoresistive or magnetic memory element and a magnetic random access memory having one or more magnetic memory elements. The memory element includes a magnetic tunnel junction including first and a second magnetic layers. The first magnetic layer having a free magnetization. The free magnetization of the first magnetic layer is magnetically coupled to a first current line and a second current line for switching the free magnetization, and a mechanism for applying a static magnetic offset field in the direction of at least one of the first and second current lines.

Magnetic memory with static magnetic offset field

A magnetic memory cell and method of manufacturing thereof, wherein the angle between the shape anisotropy axis and the intrinsic anisotropy axis of the magnetic material layer is optimized to minimize fluctuations in the switching field. The angle between shape anisotropy axis and intrinsic anisotropy axis is preferably between 45 and less than 90 degrees. Magnetic layers may be used having increased thickness, resulting in increased activation energy. Magnetic memory cells may be manufactured that are more stable for long term storage and have improved write margins.

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Paris, France

Daniel Braun