Integrated Magnetoelectronics Corporation

E James Torok

Richard F Spitzer

Edward Wuori

David L Fleming

David Leslie Fleming

Stephen J Nuspl

Radu Andrei

Shayne M Zurn

David Green Baskin, Legal Representative

Richard Spitzer

Magnetic random-access memory (RAM) cells and arrays are described based on magnetoresistive thin-film structures.

Spinram

SpinRAM

Multi-period structures exhibiting giant magnetoresistance (GMR) are described in which the exchange coupling across the active interfaces of the structure is ferromagnetic.

High GMR structure with low drive fields

Various magnetoresistive memory cells and architectures are described which enable nonvolatile memories having high information density.

Scalable nonvolatile memory

Various magnetoresistive memory cells and architectures are included which enable nonvolatile memories having high information density.

Electronic systems are described including semiconductor circuitry characterized by first signals and all-metal circuitry characterized by second signals and comprising a plurality of transpinnors. Each transpinnor includes a network of thin-film elements. At least one thin-film element in each transpinnor exhibits giant magnetoresistance. Each transpinnor includes a conductor inductively coupled to the at least one thin-film element for controlling operation of the transpinnor. Interface circuitry connects the semiconductor circuitry to the all-metal circuitry and converts between the first signals and the second signals.

Interfaces between semiconductor circuitry and transpinnor-based circuitry

A display device is described having a panel and all-metal electronics formed on a surface of the panel and operable to control operation of a plurality of basic visible elements associated with the panel.

Displays with all-metal electronics

A three-dimensional circuit and methods for fabricating such a circuit are described. The three-dimensional circuit includes a plurality of stacked levels on a substrate. Each level includes a plurality of all-metal circuit components exhibiting giant magnetoresistance and arranged in two dimensions, the circuit further includes an interconnect for providing interconnections between the circuit components on different ones of the plurality of levels.

All-metal three-dimensional circuits and memories

Transceiver components for a transmission line are described. A driver includes a first network of thin-film elements exhibiting giant magnetoresistance, and a first input conductor inductively coupled to at least one of the thin-film elements in the first network. At least one dimension of each thin-film element in the first network is configured with reference to the characteristic impedance of the transmission line. A receiver includes a second network of thin-film elements exhibiting giant magnetoresistance, and a second input conductor inductively coupled to at least one of the thin-film elements in the second network. A termination impedance in series with the second input conductor has a value relating to the characteristic impedance of the transmission line.

Transpinnor-based transmission line transceivers and applications

A sample-and-hold circuit is described which includes a network of thin-film elements in a bridge configuration. Each of the thin-film elements exhibits giant magnetoresistance. The circuit also includes a plurality of conductors inductively coupled to each of the thin-film elements for applying magnetic fields thereto. The circuit is operable using the plurality of conductors to sample and store a value corresponding to an input signal.

Transpinnor-based sample-and-hold circuit and applications

A multi-layered memory cell is described having a plurality of magnetic layers, each of the magnetic layers being for magnetically storing one bit of information. A plurality of access lines are integrated with the plurality of magnetic layers and configured such that the bits of information stored in each of selected ones of the magnetic layers may be independently accessed using selected ones of the plurality of access lines and the giant magnetoresistive effect. The memory cell further includes at least one keeper layer. The magnetic layers, the access lines, and the at least one keeper layer form a substantially closed flux structure.

High density giant magnetoresistive memory cell

A transpinnor switch is described having a network of thin-film elements in a bridge configuration, selected ones of the thin-film elements exhibiting giant magnetoresistance. The switch also includes at least one input conductor inductively coupled to a first subset of the selected thin-film elements, and a switch conductor inductively coupled to a second subset of the selected thin-film elements for applying magnetic fields thereto. The switch is configurable using the switch conductor to generate an output signal representative of an input signal on the input conductor. The switch is also configurable using the switch conductor to generate substantially no output signal regardless of whether the input signal is present. The transpinnor switch described herein may be used in a wide variety of applications including, for example, a field programmable gate array.

Transpinnor-based switch and applications

A transpinnor-based magnetometer is provided having four resistive elements exhibiting GMR in a bridge configuration. A bias current is applied to the bridge, yielding an output if the bridge is unbalanced due to changes in the GMR resistors. An oscillating magnetic field is applied inductively to the GMR resistors alternately driving them between saturated magnetic states. The drive conductors are physically arranged so that an external magnetic field will oppose the applied field in two resistors and aid the applied field in the other two. The output is nonzero only when the sum of the applied field and external field exceeds the GMR coercivity in one pair of GMR films and not the other. The frequency of the output signal can be varied by switching the polarity of the bias current and controlling the phase with respect to the drive current.

Low power magnetic anomaly sensor

A memory device is described which includes memory cells, access lines, and support electronics for facilitating access to information stored in the memory cells via the access lines. Both the memory cells and the support electronics comprise multi-layer thin film structures exhibiting giant magnetoresistance.

All metal giant magnetoresistive memory

Methods and apparatus are described relating to an electronic device which includes at least one configurable resistive element. Each such configurable resistive element includes at least one multi-layer thin film element exhibiting giant magnetoresistance. The resistance value of each configurable resistive element is configurable over a resistance value range by application of at least one magnetic field which manipulates at least one magnetization vector associated with the thin film element. One embodiment is an adjustable output gate. Another embodiment is a differential amplifier in which the gain of each channel is adjustable.

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Shoreview, MN, United States of America

E James Torok