Nec Corporation

Tohoku University

Hiroaki Honjou

Kazuhiko Hayashi

Masafumi Nakada

Nobuyuki Ishiwata

Keishi Ohashi

Atsushi Kamijo

Kunihiko Ishihara

Hisanao Tsuge

Kiyokazu Nagahara

Tsutomu Ishi

Jun-Ichi Fujikata

Hisao Matsutera

Eizo Fukami

Hideo Ohno

Shinsaku Saitoh

Tadahiko Sugibayashi

Noboru Sakimura

Tetsuhiro Suzuki

Ryusuke Nebashi

Norikazu Ohshima

Yukihide Tsuji

Ayuka Tada

Tamaki Toba

Keizo Kinoshita

Provided is a magnetic domain wall displacement memory cell, including a recording layer including a magnetic film, the recording layer including: a magnetization reversal region in which magnetization is reversible; and first and second magnetization fixed regions that supply a spin-polarized electron to the magnetization reversal region. The magnetic domain wall displacement memory cell is configured so that a first region in which magnetization reversal occurs due to a first current flowing in a direction parallel to a film surface of the recording layer and a first magnetic field component in the direction parallel to the film surface of the recording layer is formed, and a second region in which no magnetization reversal occurs is formed.

Magnetic-domain-wall-displacement memory cell and initializing method therefor

A semiconductor device includes: a first magnetic layer () disposed on a flat substrate surface; a second magnetic layer () disposed above the first magnetic layer () and magnetically coupled to the first magnetic layer () by magnetostatic coupling or exchange coupling; and a third thin film layer () formed between the first magnetic layer () and the second magnetic layer (), the third thin film layer () having such a thickness as to avoid inhibiting the magnetic coupling between the first magnetic layer () and the second magnetic layer ().

Semiconductor device

A magnetoresistive effect element includes: a The magnetization free layer includes: a first magnetization free layer being adjacent to the insulating layer and comprising Fe or Co; and a second magnetization free layer being adjacent to the first magnetization layer

Magnetoresistive effect element, and magnetic random access memory

An MRAM has a pinned layer and a magnetic recording layer connected to the pinned layer through a tunnel barrier layer. The magnetic recording layer has a first free layer, a second free layer being in contact with the tunnel barrier layer, and an intermediate layer provided between the first free layer and the second free layer. The first free layer includes a magnetization switching region whose magnetization direction can be switched by domain wall motion method. The second free layer has no domain wall. The intermediate layer is formed to cover at least the magnetization switching region. The magnetization switching region and the second free layer are magnetically coupled to each other through the intermediate layer.

Magnetic random access memory and method of manufacturing the same

In a magnetoresistive effect transducer including a pinning layer, a pinned layer, a free layer and a non-magnetic layer inserted between the pinned layer and the free layer, a longitudinal bias layer is connected directly to a part of the free layer to apply a bias magnetic field to the free layer, thus biasing a magnetization direction of the free layer so that the magnetization direction of the free layer coincides with that of the longitudinal bias layer.

Magnetoresistive effect transducer having longitudinal bias layer and control layer directly connected to free layer

Magnetoresistive effect transducer having longitudinal bias layer directly connected to free layer

A magnetoresistive effect element which is easy to manufacture and in which a sense current is prevented from bypassing a barrier layer is provided. Also provided are a method for manufacturing the element and a magnetic recording apparatus utilizing the element. This magnetoresistive effect element utilizes an MTJ film which comprises, for forming its basic structure, a free layer, a barrier layer, a pinned layer and a pinning layer, wherein an oxide or a nitride layer is formed by oxidizing or nitriding metallic materials constituting the pinned layer and pinning layer.

Magnetoresistive effect element having a ferromagnetic tunnel junction film with an oxide or nitride of a metallic material

A magnetoresistive effect head which is easy to manufacture and in which a sense current is prevented from bypassing a barrier layer is provided. Also provided are a method for manufacturing the head and a magnetic recording apparatus utilizing the head. This magnetoresistive effect head utilizes an MTJ film which comprises, for forming its basic structure, a free layer, a barrier layer, a pinned layer and a pinning layer, wherein an oxide or a nitride layer is formed by oxidizing or nitriding metallic materials constituting the pinned layer and pinning layer.

Magnetic head with a tunnel junction including metallic material sandwiched between one of an oxide and a nitride of the metallic material

A magnetoresistive head whose operation depends on a magnetoresistive effect is configured using a ferromagnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) film, which is arranged between a lower electrode and an upper electrode. The ferromagnetic tunnel junction film is basically configured using a set of a free layer, a barrier layer and a fixing layer, which are sequentially formed and laminated on the lower electrode. Herein, the ferromagnetic tunnel junction film is designed to avoid electrostatic destruction in manufacture by prescribed measures. For example, the barrier layer is reduced in thickness at a terminal portion as compared with a center portion. Or, the barrier layer has a defect at the terminal portion. In addition, it is possible to provide a conductor in connection with the barrier layer in proximity to its terminal portion. Further, it is possible to attach re-adhesive substance, which is produced by milling for patterning of the ferromagnetic tunnel junction film, to a specific terminal surface of the ferromagnetic tunnel junction film which is opposite to an ABS plane. Those measures provide a bypass allowing overcurrent release between the free layer and fixing layer. Moreover, adjustment milling or plasma oxidation is employed to control an amount of the re-adhesive substance being attached to the terminal surface of the ferromagnetic tunnel junction film. Thus, by adequately optimizing the amount of the re-adhesive substance, it is possible to improve yield in manufacturing the magnetoresistive heads.

MAGNETORESISTIVE HEAD HAVING FERROMAGNETIC TUNNEL JUNCTION FILM WITH A SMALLER RESISTANCE AT A TERMINAL PORTION THAN A CENTRAL PORTION, MAGNETIC RESISTANCE DETECTION SYSTEM WITH THE MAGNETORESISTIVE HEAD AND A MAGNETIC STORAGE SYSTEM USING IT

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Hiroaki Honjou