Storage element and memory

• US 10,121,963 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2017
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Higo, Yutaka, Hosomi, Masanori, Ohmori, Hiroyuki, Yamamoto, Tetsuya, Yamane, Kazutaka, Oishi, Yuki, Kano, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bernstein, Allison P
• Application Number:
  US15/667,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20170358738A1
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 25/00 Nanomagnetism, e.g. magnetoimpedance, anisotropic magnetoresistance, giant magnetoresistance or tunneling magnetoresistance
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/16 using elements in which the storage effect is based on magnetic spin effect
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/161 details concerning the memory cell structure, e.g. the layers of the ferromagnetic memory cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 10/3254 the spacer being semiconducting or insulating, e.g. for spin tunnel junction [STJ]
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 10/3272 by use of anti-parallel coupled [APC] ferromagnetic layers, e.g. artificial ferrimagnets [AFI], artificial [AAF] or synthetic [SAF] anti-ferromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 10/329 Spin-exchange coupled multilayers wherein the magnetisation of the free layer is switched by a spin-polarised current, e.g. spin torque effect
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/325 applying a noble metal capping on a spin-exchange-coupled multilayer, e.g. spin filter deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 61/22 of the field-effect transistor [FET] type
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/10 Magnetoresistive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/80 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/85 Magnetic active materials

Abstract

A storage element includes a storage layer, a fixed magnetization layer, a spin barrier layer, and a spin absorption layer. The storage layer stores information based on a magnetization state of a magnetic material. The fixed magnetization layer is provided for the storage layer through a tunnel insulating layer. The spin barrier layer suppresses diffusion of spin-polarized electrons and is provided on the side of the storage layer opposite the fixed magnetization layer. The spin absorption layer is formed of a nonmagnetic metal layer causing spin pumping and provided on the side of the spin barrier layer opposite the storage layer. A direction of magnetization in the storage layer is changed by passing current in a layering direction to inject spin-polarized electrons so that information is recorded in the storage layer and the spin barrier layer includes at least a material selected from oxides, nitrides, and fluorides.

Claims

1. A storage element comprising:

a layer structure including

a first magnetization layer having a first magnetization state;

a second magnetization layer having a second magnetization state;

an intermediate layer provided between the first magnetization layer and the second magnetization layer;

a spin absorption layer configured to increase spin pumping of the first magnetization layer; and

a spin barrier layer configured to suppress spin pumping of the first magnetization layer,

wherein the second magnetization layer includes at least a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer and a non-magnetic layer, and

wherein the spin barrier layer is provided between the spin absorption layer and the first magnetization layer.

2. The storage element according to claim 1, wherein the first magnetization layer includes Co, Fe, and B.

3. The storage element according to claim 1, further comprising a cap layer, wherein the spin absorption layer is provided between the cap layer and the spin barrier layer.

4. The storage element according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate layer includes at least one of magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride,SiO₂, Bi₂O₃, MgF₂, CaF, SrTiO₂, AlLaO₃, and AlNO.

5. The storage element according to claim 1, wherein the second magnetization layer includes Co, Fe, and B.

6. The storage element according to claim 1, wherein the first magnetization state of the first magnetization layer is configured to be changed by passing a current through the first magnetization layer.

7. The storage element according to claim 1, wherein the spin barrier layer includes at least one of an oxide, a nitride and a fluoride.

8. The storage element according to claim 1, wherein the spin barrier layer is provided adjacent to the spin absorption layer and the spin barrier layer is provided adjacent to the first magnetization layer.

9. The storage element according to claim 1, wherein an area of the storage element is less than or equal to 0.04 μ

m².

10. The storage element according to claim 1, wherein the second magnetization layer has an exchange-bias layered ferromagnetic structure.

11. The storage element according to claim 1, further comprising an underlayer provided adjacent to the second magnetization layer, and wherein the underlayer includes Tantalum.

12. The storage element according to claim 1, wherein the first magnetization layer is a single layer and a thickness of the first magnetization layer is from 1 nm to 5 nm.

13. A memory comprising:

a storage element; and

two types of lines that intersect with each other,

wherein the storage element includes

a layer structure including

a first magnetization layer having a first magnetization state;

a second magnetization layer having a second magnetization state;

an intermediate layer between the first magnetization layer and the second magnetization layer;

a spin absorption layer configured to increase spin pumping of the first magnetization layer; and

a spin barrier layer configured to suppress spin pumping of the first magnetization layer,

wherein the second magnetization layer includes at least a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer and a non-magnetic layer, and

wherein the spin barrier layer is provided between the spin absorption layer and the first magnetization layer.

14. The memory according to claim 13, wherein the first magnetization layer includes Co, Fe, and B.

15. The memory according to claim 13, further comprising a cap layer, and wherein the spin absorption layer is provided between the cap layer and the spin barrier layer.

16. The memory according to claim 13, wherein the intermediate layer includes at least one of magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, SiO₂, Bi₂O₃, MgF₂, CaF, SrTiO₂, AlLaO₃, and AlNO.

17. The memory according to claim 13, wherein the first magnetization layer is a CoFeB/Ta/CoFeB layered film.

18. The memory according to claim 13, wherein the second magnetization layer is a PtMn/CoFe/Ru/CoFeB layered film.

19. A storage element comprising:

a layer structure including

a first magnetization layer having a first magnetization state;

a second magnetization layer having a second magnetization state;

an intermediate layer provided between the first magnetization layer and the second magnetization layer;

a spin absorption layer configured to increase spin pumping of the first magnetization layer;

a spin barrier layer configured to suppress spin pumping of the first magnetization layer; and

a cap layer,

wherein the second magnetization layer includes at least a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer and a non-magnetic layer, and

wherein the spin absorption layer is provided between the cap layer and the spin barrier layer.