Magnetic logic unit (MLU) cell for sensing magnetic fields with improved programmability and low reading consumption

• US 10,330,749 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2015
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allegro Microsystems Incorporated (Sanken Electric Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Crocus Technology S.A.
• Inventors: Bandiera, Sebastien
• Primary Examiner(s): LaBalle, Clayton E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sanghera, Jas A
• Application Number:
  US15/543,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20170371008A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/16 by varying resistance
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/0029 Treating the measured signals, e.g. removing offset or noise
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/096 anisotropic magnetoresistance sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/098 comprising tunnel junctions, e.g. tunnel magnetoresistance sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/1659 Cell access
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/1673 Reading or sensing circuits or methods

Abstract

A magnetic logic unit (MLU) cell for sensing magnetic fields, including: a magnetic tunnel junction including a storage layer having a storage magnetization, a sense layer having a sense magnetization; a tunnel barrier layer between the storage layer and the sense layer; and a pinning layer pinning the storage magnetization at a low threshold temperature and freeing it at a high threshold temperature. The sense magnetization is freely alignable at the low and high threshold temperatures and the storage layer induces an exchange bias field magnetically coupling the sense layer such that the sense magnetization tends to be aligned antiparallel or parallel to the storage magnetization. The tunnel barrier layer is configured for generating an indirect exchange coupling between the tunnel barrier layer and the sense layer providing an additional exchange bias field.

Claims

1. A magnetic logic unit (MLU) cell for sensing magnetic fields, comprising:

a magnetic tunnel junction including a storage layer having a storage magnetization, a sense layer having a sense magnetization, a tunnel barrier layer between the storage layer and the sense layer, and a pinning layer pinning the storage magnetization at a low threshold temperature and freeing it at a high threshold temperature;

the sense magnetization being freely alignable at the low and high threshold temperatures;

the storage layer inducing an exchange bias field magnetically coupling the sense layer such that the sense magnetization is aligned antiparallel or parallel to the storage magnetization;

wherein the tunnel barrier layer is configured for generating an indirect exchange coupling between the tunnel barrier layer and the sense layer such as to provide an additional exchange bias field.

2. The MLU cell according to claim 1, wherein the storage layer comprises a single ferromagnetic layer having a storage magnetization inducing the exchange bias field.

3. The MLU cell according to claim 1,

wherein the storage layer comprises a synthetic antiferromagnet including a first ferromagnetic layer having a first storage magnetization, a second storage ferromagnetic layer having a second storage magnetization, and a storage anti-parallel coupling layer producing a RKKY coupling between the first and second ferromagnetic layers;

and

wherein a moment of one of the first and second storage magnetization is larger than the other;

the storage magnetization having the larger moment inducing the exchange bias field.

4. The MLU cell according to claim 1, wherein the tunnel barrier layer is configured such that the additional exchange bias field is of substantially the same magnitude than the one of the exchange bias field and of opposed direction.

5. The MLU cell according to claim 4, wherein said indirect exchange coupling is such that a reversal of the sense magnetization is shifted by less than about 100 Oe for the magnetic tunnel junction having a size of less than about 300 nm.

6. The MLU cell according to claim 5, wherein a direction of the storage magnetization can be switched using a magnetic field of less than about 400 Oe when the magnetic tunnel junction is at the high threshold temperature.

7. The MLU cell according to claim 1, wherein the tunnel barrier layer comprises an oxide, nitride or oxi-nitride and has a thickness between about 0.5 nm and about 3 nm.

8. The MLU cell according to claim 7, wherein the tunnel barrier layer includes, or is formed of, aluminum oxide or magnesium oxide.

9. The MLU cell according to claim 7, wherein the tunnel barrier layer is obtained by depositing an oxide from an oxide target.

10. The MLU cell according to claim 7, wherein the tunnel barrier layer is obtained by oxidizing a metallic layer.

11. The MLU cell according to claim 10, wherein the tunnel barrier layer is obtained by natural oxidation or radical oxidation of the metallic layer.

12. The MLU cell according to claim 1, wherein the direction and magnitude of the additional exchange bias field is adjustable by adjusting the oxidation or nitridation state of the material included, or forming, the tunnel barrier layer.

13. The MLU cell according to claim 12, wherein the direction and magnitude of the additional exchange bias field is further adjustable by adjusting a thickness and/or a roughness and/or the composition of the tunnel barrier layer.

14. A method for operating a MLU cell comprising a magnetic tunnel junction including a storage layer having a storage magnetization, a sense layer having a sense magnetization, a tunnel barrier layer between the storage layer and the sense layer, and a pinning layer pinning the storage magnetization at a low threshold temperature and freeing it at a high threshold temperature;

the sense magnetization being freely alignable at the low and high threshold temperatures;

the storage layer inducing an exchange bias field magnetically coupling the sense layer such that the sense magnetization is aligned antiparallel or parallel to the storage magnetization;

the tunnel barrier layer is configured for generating an indirect exchange coupling between the tunnel barrier layer and the sense layer such as to provide an additional exchange bias field;

the method comprising;

during a programming operation, aligning the storage magnetization in a programmed direction; and

during a sensing operation, measuring a resistance of the MLU cell having the storage magnetization in the programmed direction;

wherein the tunnel barrier layer is configured such that the additional exchange bias field is of substantially the same magnitude than the one of the exchange bias field and of opposed direction, such that substantially no additional current need to be passed in a field line for compensating the exchange bias field.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said measuring the resistance comprises passing a sense field current in a field line in magnetic communication with the MLU cell such as to generate a sense magnetic field capable of aligning the sense magnetization.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein said measuring the resistance further comprises passing a sensing current in a current line and the magnetic tunnel junction.