Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.v.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

International Business Machines Corporation

Grandis, Inc.

Hgst Netherlands, B.v.

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies B.v.

Hitachi Global Technologies Netherlands B.v.

Hitachi Gobal Storage Technologies Inc.

Vladimir Nikitin

Dmytro Apalkov

Wen-Chien David Hsiao

Edward Hin Pong Lee

Yimin Hsu

Aron Pentek

Xueti Tang

Mohamad Towfik Krounbi

Alexey Vasilyevitch Khvalkovskiy

Yi Zheng

Sue Siyang Zhang

Amanda Baer

Robert Beach

Daniel Wayne Bedell

Steven M Watts

Ming Jiang

Changqing Shi

Savas Gider

David Patrick Druist

Yuan Yao

Murali Ramasubramanian

Yinshi Liu

Roman Chepulskyy

Katalin Pentek

Samuel Weisan Yuan

Sebastian Schafer

Zheng Duan

Quang Le

Jeffrey Scott Lille

Hung-Chin Guthrie

Donald Giles Allen

Dustin William Erickson

Trevor W Olson

Gen Feng

Samuel Wei-san Yuan

Jeffrey Gregory McCord

Alexander A G Driskill-Smith

Son Van Nguyen

David John Seagle

Neil Leslie Robertson

Wipul Jayasekara

Ning Shi

Michael R Feldbaum

Quan-chiu Harry Lam

Michael Paul Salo

Terence Tin-Lok Lam

Christian Rene Bonhote

Yansheng Luo

John I Kim

Robert Langland Smith

Michael Ming Hsiang Yang

Kiseok Moon

Jennifer Ai-Ming Loo

Prabodh Ratnaparkhi

Hardayal Singh Gill

Adrian E Ong

Kuok San Ho

Richard Hsiao

Borna Josip Obradovic

Oscar Jaime Ruiz

Hugo Alberto Emilio Santini

Titash Rakshit

Klaas Berend Klaassen

Bernd Lamberts

Ryan M Hatcher

Jyh-Shuey Jerry Lo

Patrick Rush Webb

Hamid Balamane

Tsung Yuan Chen

James Terrence Olson

Woo Chang Lim

David Eugene Heim

Xiaodong Che

Ki Woong Kim

Se Chung Oh

Don Lee

Ciaran Avram Fox

Hicham Moulay Sougrati

Hieu Lam

Xiaoyu Sui

Timothy J Moran

Jang Eun Lee

Malika Dothresa Carter

Kyoung Sun Kim

Adam Polcyn

Wenchein Hsiao

John W Lam

Christian René Bonhôte

Shuxia Wang

Wipul Pemsiri Jayaekara

Unal Murat Guruz

Volodymyr Voznyuk

Aaron Neuhaus

Wenchien David Hsiao

Jennifer Leung

Kenneth David Mackay

David A Dudek

Gity Samadi Hosseinali

Mark Allen Burleson

Yvette Winton

A magnetic device and method for programming the magnetic device are described. The magnetic device includes a plurality of magnetic junctions and at least one spin-orbit interaction (SO) active layer having a plurality of sidesand an axis. The SO active layer(s) carry a current in direction(s) substantiallyperpendicular to the plurality of sidesalong the axis. Each of the magnetic junction(s) is adjacent to the sides and substantially surrounds a portion of the SO active layer. Each magnetic junction includes a free layer, a reference layer and a nonmagnetic spacer layer between the pinned and free layers. The SO active layer(s) exert a SO torque on the free layer due to the current passing through the SO active layer(s). The free layer is switchable between stable magnetic states. The free layer may be written using the current and, in some aspects, another current driven through the magnetic junction.

Vertical spin orbit torque devices

A magnetic junction, a memory using the magnetic junction and method for providing the magnetic junction are described. The magnetic junction includes first and second reference layers, a main barrier layer, a free layer, an engineered secondary barrier layer and a second reference layer. The free layer is switchable between stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction. The main barrier layer is between the first reference layer and the free layer. The secondary barrier layer is between the free layer and the second reference layer. The engineered secondary barrier layer has a resistance and a plurality of regions having a reduced resistance less than the resistance. The free and reference layers each has a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy and an out-of-plane demagnetization energy less than the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy.

Method and system for engineering the secondary barrier layer in dual magnetic junctions

A memory device and method for providing the memory device are described. The memory device includes word lines, a first plurality of bit lines, a second plurality of bit lines and selectorless memory cells. Each selectorless memory cell is coupled with a word line, a first bit line of the first plurality of bit lines and a second bit line of the second plurality of bit lines. The selectorless memory cell includes first and second magnetic junctions. The first and second magnetic junctions are each programmable using a spin-orbit interaction torque. The word line is coupled between the first and second magnetic junctions. The first and second bit lines are coupled with the first and second magnetic junctions, respectively. The selectorless memory cell is selected for a write operation based on voltages in the word line, the first bit line and the second bit line.

Selectorless 3D stackable memory

A method of reading information stored in a magnetic memory. In a magnetic memory comprising a magnetic tunnel junction including a first reference layer and a free layer, and a spin orbit active (SO) line adjacent to the first reference layer of the magnetic tunnel junction, first and second currents are passed through the SO line so as to achieve two different directions of a magnetic moment of the first reference layer. Two electrical characteristics of the magnetic tunnel junction are determined, the two electrical characteristics corresponding to the two different directions of the magnetic moment of the first reference layer. These two electrical characteristics are then compared to determine the value of the stored information.

Method and apparatus for performing self-referenced read in a magnetoresistive random access memory

A magnetic junction and method for providing the magnetic junction are described. The magnetic junction includes a reference layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer and a hybrid free layer. The hybrid free layer is switchable between stable magnetic states using a current passed through the magnetic junction. The nonmagnetic spacer layer is between the free layer and the reference layer. The hybrid free layer includes a soft magnetic layer, a hard magnetic layer and an oxide coupling layer between the hard magnetic layer and the soft magnetic layer. The soft magnetic layer has a soft layer magnetic thermal stability coefficient of not more than thirty. The hard magnetic layer has a hard layer magnetic thermal stability coefficient of at least twice the soft layer magnetic thermal stability coefficient.

Method and system for providing a magnetic junction having a low damping hybrid free layer

A magnetic device and method for providing the device are described. The magnetic device includes magnetic junction(s) and spin-orbit interaction active layer(s) adjacent to the magnetic junction free layer(s). The magnetic junction includes free and pinned layers separated by a nonmagnetic spacer layer. The free layer is switchable between stable magnetic states. Providing the pinned and/or free layer(s) includes providing a magnetic layer including a glass-promoting component, providing a sacrificial oxide on the magnetic layer, providing a sacrificial layer on the sacrificial oxide and performing anneal(s) of the magnetic layer, the sacrificial oxide layer and the sacrificial layer at anneal temperature(s) greater than 300 degrees Celsius and not exceeding 475 degrees Celsius. The magnetic layer is amorphous as-deposited but is at least partially crystallized after the anneal(s). The sacrificial layer includes a sink for the glass-promoting component. The sacrificial layer and the sacrificial oxide are removed after the anneal(s).

Method and system for providing a magnetic layer in a magnetic junction usable in spin transfer or spin orbit torque applications using a sacrificial oxide layer

A magnetic device and method for programming the magnetic device are described. The magnetic device includes a plurality of magnetic junctions and at least one spin-orbit interaction (SO) active layer having a plurality of sides. The SO active layer(s) carry a current in direction(s) substantially perpendicular to the plurality of sides. Each of the magnetic junction(s) is adjacent to the sides and substantially surrounds a portion of the SO active layer. Each magnetic junction includes a free layer, a reference layer and a nonmagnetic spacer layer between the pinned and free layers. The SO active layer(s) exert a SO torque on the free layer due to the current passing through the SO active layer(s). The free layer is switchable between stable magnetic states. The free layer may be written using the current and, in some aspects, another current driven through the magnetic junction.

A magnetic junction, a memory using the magnetic junction and method for providing the magnetic junction are described. The magnetic junction includes first and second reference layers, a main barrier layer having a first thickness, a free layer, an engineered secondary barrier layer and a second reference layer. The free layer is switchable between stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction. The main barrier layer is between the first reference layer and the free layer. The secondary barrier layer is between the free layer and the second reference layer. The engineered secondary barrier layer has a resistance, a second thickness less than the first thickness and a plurality of regions having a reduced resistance less than the resistance. The free and reference layers each has a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy and an out-of-plane demagnetization energy less than the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy.

A magnetic memory cell includes: a first spin-orbit interaction active layer; a first magnetic free layer on the first spin-orbit interaction active layer, the first magnetic free layer having a changeable magnetization; a first nonmagnetic spacer layer on the first magnetic free layer; a reference layer having a fixed magnetization on the first nonmagnetic spacer layer; a second nonmagnetic spacer layer on the reference layer; a second magnetic free layer on the second nonmagnetic spacer layer, the second magnetic free layer having a changeable magnetization; and a second spin-orbit interaction active layer on the second magnetic free layer.

Cross-point architecture for spin-transfer torque magnetoresistive random access memory with spin orbit writing

A method for measuring a temperature of magnetic junction switchable using spin transfer. The magnetic junction includes at least one magnetic layer. The method includes measuring a temperature variation of at least one magnetic characteristic for the magnetic layer(s) versus temperature. The method also includes measuring a bias variation in the magnetic characteristic versus an electrical bias for the magnetic junction. This measurement is performed such that spin transfer torque-induced variation(s) in the magnetic characteristic(s) are accounted for. The temperature versus the electrical bias for the magnetic junction is determined based on the temperature variation and the bias variation.

Method and system for determining temperature using a magnetic junction

Magnetic junctions usable in a magnetic device and a method for providing the magnetic junctions are described. A patterned seed layer is provided. The patterned seed layer includes magnetic seed islands interspersed with an insulating matrix. At least a portion of the magnetoresistive stack is provided after the patterned seed layer. The magnetoresistive stack includes at least one magnetic segregating layer. The magnetic segregating layer(s) include at least one magnetic material and at least one insulator. The method anneals the at least the portion of the magnetoresistive stack such that the at least one magnetic segregating layer segregates. The constituents of the magnetic segregating layer segregate such that portions of magnetic material(s) align with the magnetic seed islands(s) and such that portions of the insulator(s) align with the insulating matrix.

Self-assembled pattern process for fabricating magnetic junctions usable in spin transfer torque applications

A magnetic junction usable in a magnetic device and a method for providing the magnetic junction are described. A first portion of a magnetoresistive stack corresponding to the magnetic junction is provided. Providing this portion of the magnetoresistive stack includes providing at least one layer for a free layer of the magnetic junction. A second portion of the magnetoresistive stack is provided after the step of providing the first portion of the magnetoresistive stack. The magnetoresistive stack is patterned to provide the magnetic junction after the step of providing the second portion of the magnetoresistive stack. An ambient temperature for the magnetoresistive stack and the magnetic junction does not exceed a crystallization temperature of the free layer after the step of providing the free layer through the step of patterning the magnetoresistive stack. The magnetic junction is annealed at an anneal temperature not less than the crystallization temperature after the step of patterning the magnetoresistive stack.

Method and system for providing a magnetic junction usable in spin transfer torque applications using a post-pattern anneal

A magnetic memory device comprises a first reference magnetic layer, a first tunnel barrier layer, a second tunnel barrier layer, and a free magnetic layer disposed between the first tunnel barrier layer and the second tunnel barrier layer. A magnitude of an in-plane magnetostatic field from the first reference magnetic layer at an edge of the free magnetic layer is less than about 500 Oe. One embodiment comprises a second reference magnetic layer on the second tunnel barrier layer in which the first reference magnetic layer, the first tunnel barrier layer, the free magnetic layer, the second tunnel barrier layer and the second reference magnetic layer are arranged as a stack, and in which a width of the first tunnel barrier layer, the free magnetic layer, the second tunnel barrier and the second reference magnetic layer in a second direction is less than about 30 nm.

DMTJ structure for sub-25NM designs with cancelled flowering field effects

A magnetic junction and method for providing the magnetic junction are described. The magnetic junction includes free and pinned layers separated by a nonmagnetic spacer layer. The free layer is switchable between stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction. Providing the pinned and/or free layer(s) includes providing a magnetic layer including a glass-promoting component, providing a sacrificial oxide layer on the magnetic layer, providing a sacrificial layer on the sacrificial oxide layer and performing at least one anneal of the magnetic layer, the sacrificial oxide layer and the sacrificial layer at anneal temperature(s) greater than 300 degrees Celsius and not exceeding 475 degrees Celsius. The magnetic layer is amorphous as-deposited but is at least partially crystallized after the anneal(s). The sacrificial layer includes a sink for the glass-promoting component. The sacrificial layer and the sacrificial oxide layer are removed after the anneal(s).

Method and system for providing a magnetic layer in a magnetic junction usable in spin transfer torque applications using a sacrificial oxide layer

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Campbell, CA, United States of America

Vladimir Nikitin