1208results about "Spin-exchange-coupled multilayers" patented technology

A method and system for providing a magnetic element capable of being written using spin-transfer effect while being thermally stable and a magnetic memory using the magnetic element are disclosed. The magnetic element includes a first, second and third pinned layers, first and second nonmagnetic layers, a free layer and a nonmagnetic spacer layers. The first, second and third pinned layers are ferromagnetic and have first, second and third magnetizations pinned in first, second and third directions. The first and second nonmagnetic layers include first and second diffusion barriers, respectively. The first and second nonmagnetic layers are between the first and second pinned layers and the second and third pinned layers, respectively. The first and second pinned layers and the second and third pinned layers are antiferromagnetically coupled. The nonmagnetic spacer layer is conductive and resides between the free layer and the third pinned layer. In addition, performance can be further improved by doping Co containing ferromagnetic layers with Cr and / or Pt.

A method for forming a magnetic tunneling junction (MJT) is provided. In some embodiments, the method may include patterning one or more magnetic layers to form an upper portion of a MTJ. The method may further include patterning one or more additional layers to form a lower portion of the MTJ. In some cases, the lower portion may include a tunneling layer of the MTJ having a width greater than the upper portion. In addition, in some embodiments the method may further include patterning an electrode below the lower portion. In some cases, the electrode may include a lowermost layer with a thickness equal to or less than approximately 100 angstroms. In addition or alternatively, the electrode may have a width greater than the width of the tunneling layer. In yet other embodiments, the method may include forming spacers along the sidewalls of the upper and / or lower portions.

A method and system for providing a magnetic element that can be used in a magnetic memory is disclosed. The magnetic element includes pinned, nonmagnetic spacer, and free layers. The spacer layer resides between the pinned and free layers. The free layer can be switched using spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element. The magnetic element may also include a barrier layer, a second pinned layer. Alternatively, second pinned and second spacer layers and a second free layer magnetostatically coupled to the free layer are included. In one aspect, the free layer(s) include ferromagnetic material(s) diluted with nonmagnetic material(s) and / or ferrimagnetically doped to provide low saturation magnetization(s).

A method and system for providing a magnetic element that can be used in a magnetic memory is disclosed. The magnetic element includes pinned, nonmagnetic spacer, and free layers. The spacer layer resides between the pinned and free layers. The free layer can be switched using spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element. The magnetic element may also include a barrier layer, a second pinned layer. Alternatively, second pinned and second spacer layers and a second free layer magnetostatically coupled to the free layer are included. In one aspect, the free layer(s) include ferromagnetic material(s) diluted with nonmagnetic material(s) and / or ferrimagnetically doped to provide low saturation magnetization(s).

The present invention generally relates to the field of magnetic devices for memory cells that can serve as non-volatile memory. More specifically, the present invention describes a high speed and low power method by which a spin polarized electrical current can be used to control and switch the magnetization direction of a magnetic region in such a device. The magnetic device comprises a pinned magnetic layer with a fixed magnetization direction, a free magnetic layer with a free magnetization direction, and a read-out magnetic layer with a fixed magnetization direction. The pinned magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer are separated by a non-magnetic layer, and the free magnetic layer and the read-out magnetic layer are separated by another non-magnetic layer. The magnetization directions of the pinned and free layers generally do not point along the same axis. The non-magnetic layers minimize the magnetic interaction between the magnetic layers. A current is applied to the device to induce a torque that alters the magnetic state of the device so that it can act as a magnetic memory for writing information. The resistance, which depends on the magnetic state of the device, is measured to thereby read out the information stored in the device.

A magnetic memory element switchable by current injection includes a plurality of magnetic layers, at least one of the plurality of magnetic layers having a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy component and including a current-switchable magnetic moment, and at least one barrier layer formed adjacent to the plurality of magnetic layers (e.g., between two of the magnetic layers). The memory element has the switching threshold current and device impedance suitable for integration with complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuits.

A method and system for providing a magnetic element capable of being written using spin-transfer effect while generating a high output signal and a magnetic memory using the magnetic element are disclosed. The magnetic element includes a first ferromagnetic pinned layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, a ferromagnetic free layer, an insulating barrier layer and a second ferromagnetic pinned layer. The pinned layer has a magnetization pinned in a first direction. The nonmagnetic spacer layer is conductive and is between the first pinned layer and the free layer. The barrier layer resides between the free layer and the second pinned layer and is an insulator having a thickness allowing electron tunneling through the barrier layer. The second pinned layer has a magnetization pinned in a second direction. The magnetic element is configured to allow the magnetization of the free layer to change direction due to spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element.

The present invention provides an improved top spin valve and method of fabrication. In the preferred embodiment of the top spin valve of the present invention, a seed layer is formed of non-magnetic material having the elements Ni and Cr. In the preferred embodiments, the seed layer material has an ion milling rate comparable to that of the free layer material. This allows free layer sidewalls to be formed with shorter tails, improving free layer-to-magnetic bias layer junction, thus improving free layer domain structure and track width. In one embodiment, the seed layer may have NiFeCr, with Cr from about 20% to 50%. In another embodiment, the seed layer may have NiCr, with about 40%. Some embodiments may have the seed layer formed on an optional Ta pre-seed layer. Such embodiments provide an improved fcc (111) texture particularly for NiFe and for NiFe / CoFe free layers grown on a seed layer improving spin valve performance, and especially in embodiments having very thin NiFe free layers, ultra thin NiFe free layers, and free layers without NiFe, such as a free layer of CoFe. Such a seed layer can improve AFM pinning layer texture to improve the exchange bias, thus providing better thermal stability. Such a seed layer also provides high resistivity and can improve the magnetostriction of adjacent NiFe free layer material or improve the soft properties of an adjacent CoFe free layer.

A method and system for providing a magnetic element is disclosed. The method and system include providing a pinned layer, a magnetic current confined layer, and a free layer. The pinned layer is ferromagnetic and has a first pinned layer magnetization. The magnetic current confined layer has at least one channel in an insulating matrix and resides between the pinned layer and the free layer. The channel(s) are ferromagnetic, conductive, and extend through the insulating matrix between the free layer and the pinned layer. The size(s) of the channel(s) are sufficiently small that charge carriers can give rise to ballistic magnetoresistance in the magnetic current confined layer. The free layer is ferromagnetic and has a free layer magnetization. Preferably, the method and system also include providing a second pinned layer and a nonmagnetic spacer layer between the second pinned layer and the free layer. In this aspect, the magnetic element is configured to allow the free layer magnetization to be switched using spin transfer.

A magnetic sensor includes a magnetoresistance element having a peak of a thermal fluctuation strength of magnetization under a magnetic field having a certain frequency, a frequency filter connected to the magnetoresistance element and having its transmittance decreased or increased in substantially the frequency of the magnetic field to output a signal corresponding substantially to the peak of the thermal fluctuation strength of magnetization, and a detector connected to the frequency filter to detect the magnetic field based on the signal of the frequency filter.

A magnetic memory cell having a ferromagnetic free layer and a ferromagnetic pinned reference layer, each having an out-of-plane magnetic anisotropy and an out-of-plane magnetization orientation and switchable by spin torque. The cell includes a ferromagnetic assist layer proximate the free layer, the assist layer having a low magnetic anisotropy less than about 500 Oe. The assist layer may have in-plane or out-of-plane anisotropy.

Magnetic Random Access Memory (MRAM) devices include a lower electrode and a magnetic tunnel junction on the lower electrode. The magnetic tunnel junction includes a seed layer and a tunneling barrier that is oriented in a same direction as the most closely packed plane direction of the seed layer. An oxide layer may be provided between the lower electrode and the magnetic tunnel junction. The lower electrode may be a titanium-rich TiN layer having more than 50 atomic percent titanium content. Analogous fabrication methods are also described.

A magnetic transducing element in which a ferromagnetic tunneling junction film, including first and second ferromagnetic layers and an insulating layer are enclosed between the ferromagnetic layers, and a nonmagnetic metal thin film is inserted between the second ferromagnetic layer and the insulating layer, is formed on a substrate.

A magnetic tunnel element that can be used, for example, as part of a read head or a magnetic memory cell, includes a first layer formed from an amorphous material, an amorphous tunnel barrier layer, and an interface layer between the first layer and the tunnel barrier layer. The interface layer is formed from a material that is crystalline when the material is in isolation from both the first layer and the tunnel barrier layer. Alternatively, the thickness of the interface layer is selected so that the interface layer is not crystalline. The first layer is formed from at least one material selected from the group consisting of amorphous ferromagnetic material, amorphous ferrimagnetic materials, and amorphous non-magnetic materials. The interface layer is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of a ferromagnetic material and a ferrimagnetic material.

A magnetoresistive element comprises an exchange coupling film having a under layer, an antiferromagnetic film and a ferromagnetic film, which are laminated in that order, the under layer including a metal having a face centered cubic crystal structure or hexagonal closest packing crystal structure which have a longer nearest neighbor atomic distance than that of the antiferromagnetic film. With this construction, it is possible to improve the exchange coupling field and to satisfy a stable output over a long period of time. A magnetoresistive element having a dual spin valve structure has a magnetization adjusting layer, which is antiferromagnetically connected to a pinned layer via an anti-parallel connection layer, to adjust the value of the product of the saturation magnetization of each of the magnetization adjusting layer and the pinned layer by the thickness thereof. Moreover, a magnetoresistance head use a giant magnetoresistance effect, and has at least one pair of pinned layer and free layer arranged via a non-magnetic spacer layer. The pinned layer has a pair of ferromagnetic layers which have different compositions and different coercive forces and which are antiferromagnetically connected to each other via a connection layer, so that the effective exchange coupling field of the pinned layer is 200 Oe or more.

A magnetically shielded conductor assembly with a conductor device and a film of nanomagnetic material located above the conductor device. The conductor device has a resistivity of from about 1 to about 2,000 micro ohm-centimeters. The film of nanomagnetic material has a thickness of from about 100 nanometers to about 10 micrometers and a magnetic shielding factor of at least about 0.5. The nanomagnetic material has a mass density of at least about 0.01 grams per cubic centimeter, a saturation magnetization of from about 1 to about 36,000 Gauss, a coercive force of from about 0.01 to about 5,000 Oersteds, a relative magnetic permeability of from about 1 to about 500,000, and an average particle size of less than about 100 nanometers.

A magnetoresistance device is provided for improving thermal stability of a magnetoresistance element by preventing interdiffusion between a conductor (such as a via and an interconnection) for connecting the magnetoresistance element to another element and layers constituting the magnetoresistance element. A magnetoresistance device is composed of a magnetoresistance element, a non-magnetic conductor providing electrical connection between said magnetoresistance element to another element, and a diffusion barrier structure disposed between said conductor and said magnetoresistance element, the magnetoresistance element including a free ferromagnetic layer having reversible spontaneous magnetization, a fixed ferromagnetic layer having fixed spontaneous magnetization, and a tunnel dielectric layer disposed between said free and fixed ferroelectric layer.

A foundation layer increasing adhesive properties to a substrate, another foundation layer controlling orientation of an antiferromagnetic layer, the antiferromagnetic layer including a disordered alloy of IrMn, a pinning layer, and a cap protection layer are formed in the order on the substrate. The pinning layer includes two layers having an exchange coupling giving layer which exchange-couples to the antiferromagnetic layer and an exchange coupling enhancement layer which enhances the exchange coupling, the exchange coupling giving layer is made of a ferromagnetic material including Co or a Co100-XFeX alloy (O<=X<25) having face-centered cubic structure. The exchange coupling enhancement layer is made of Fe or a Co100-YFeY alloy (25<=Y<=100) having body-centered cubic structure.

A shielded substrate assembly that contains a magnetic shield with a layer of magnetic shielding material; the magnetic shield has a magnetic shielding factor of at least about 0.5. The magnetic shield contains nanomagnetic material nanomagnetic material with a mass density of at least about 0.01 grams per cubic centimeter, a saturation magnetization of from about 1 to about 36,000 Gauss, a coercive force of from about 0.01 to about 5,000 Oersteds, a relative magnetic permeability of from about 1 to about 500,000, and an average particle size of less than about 100 nanometers. The nanomagnetic material contains magnetic material with a coherence length of from about 0.1 to about 100 nanometers.

A shielded assembly containing a substrate and a shield. The shield contains both nanomagnetic material and a material with an electrical resistivity of from about 1 microohm-centimeter to about 1×1025 microohm centimeters. The nanomagnetic material has a mass density of at least about 0.01 grams per cubic centimeter, a saturation magnetization of from about 1 to about 36,000 Gauss, a coercive force of from about 0.01 to about 5000 Oersteds, a relative magnetic permeability of from about 1 to about 500,000, and an average particle size of less than about 100 nanometers.

A magnetic logic cell includes a magnetic element having a pinned layer, a free layer, and a spacer layer. The pinned and free layers have pinned and free layer magnetizations. The spacer layer resides between the pinned and free layers. In one aspect, the magnetic logic cell includes a first configuration line that is electrically connected to the magnetic element and carries a first current and a second configuration line electrically that is insulated from the magnetic element and the first configuration line and carries a second current. The first or second current alone cannot switch the free layer magnetization. The first and second currents together can switch the free layer magnetization. When the first current is driven through the magnetic element and the second current is provided, the combination sets the pinned layer magnetization direction. In one aspect, the pinned layer magnetization is set by heating the AFM layer to approximately at or above the blocking temperature. In order to configure the logic cell, an initial direction for the free layer magnetization is also set.