Method and system for providing a highly textured magnetoresistance element and magnetic memory
First Claim
1. A magnetic element comprising:
- a pinned layer;
a spacer layer, the spacer layer being insulating and having an ordered crystal structure, the spacer layer being configured to allow tunneling through the spacer layer;
a free layer, the spacer layer residing between the pinned layer and the free layer; and
wherein the magnetic element is configured to allow the free layer to be switched due to spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for providing a magnetic element are disclosed. The method and system include providing a pinned layer, a free layer, and a spacer layer between the pinned layer and the free layer. The spacer layer is insulating and has an ordered crystal structure. The spacer layer is also configured to allow tunneling through the spacer layer. In one aspect, the free layer is comprised of a single magnetic layer having a particular crystal structure and texture with respect to the spacer layer. In another aspect, the free layer is comprised of two sublayers, the first sublayer having a particular crystal structure and texture with respect to the spacer layer and the second sublayer having a lower moment. In still another aspect, the method and system also include providing a second pinned layer and a second spacer layer that is nonmagnetic and resides between the free layer and the second pinned layer. The magnetic element is configured to allow the free layer to be switched due to spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element.
-
Citations
59 Claims
-
1. A magnetic element comprising:
-
a pinned layer;
a spacer layer, the spacer layer being insulating and having an ordered crystal structure, the spacer layer being configured to allow tunneling through the spacer layer;
a free layer, the spacer layer residing between the pinned layer and the free layer; and
wherein the magnetic element is configured to allow the free layer to be switched due to spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A magnetic element comprising:
-
a pinned layer;
a spacer layer, the spacer layer being insulating and having a first ordered crystal structure, the spacer layer being configured to allow tunneling through the spacer layer;
a free layer, the spacer layer residing between the pinned layer and the free layer, the free layer includes a first sublayer having a first magnetization and a second sublayer having a second magnetization and a reduced magnetic moment, the first sublayer residing between the spacer layer and the second sublayer, the first sublayer having a second ordered crystal structure, the first magnetization and the second magnetization being coupled; and
wherein the magnetic element is configured to allow the free layer to be switched due to spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
-
-
35. A magnetic element comprising:
-
a first pinned layer;
an insulating spacer layer, the insulating spacer layer being insulating and having an ordered crystal structure, the insulating spacer layer being configured to allow tunneling through the insulating spacer layer;
a free layer, the insulating spacer layer residing between the pinned layer and the free layer;
a spacer layer, the spacer being nonmagnetic and either a conductive layer or an insulating tunneling layer, the free layer residing between the insulating spacer layer and the spacer layer;
a second pinned layer, the spacer layer residing between the free layer and the second pinned layer; and
wherein the magnetic element is configured to allow the free layer to be switched due to spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element.
-
-
36. A magnetic element comprising:
-
a first pinned layer;
an insulating spacer layer, the insulating spacer layer being insulating and having a first ordered crystal structure and a second texture, the insulating spacer layer being configured to allow tunneling through the insulating spacer layer;
a free layer, the insulating spacer layer residing between the pinned layer and the free layer, the free layer includes a first sublayer having a first magnetization and a second sublayer having a second magnetization, the first sublayer residing between the insulating spacer layer and the second sublayer, the first sublayer having a second ordered crystal structure with a third texture, the first magnetization and the second magnetization being coupled;
a spacer layer, the spacer being nonmagnetic and either conductive or insulating tunneling layer, the free layer residing between the insulating spacer layer and the spacer layer;
a second pinned layer, the spacer layer residing between the free layer and the second pinned layer;
wherein the magnetic element is configured to allow the free layer to be switched due to spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
-
-
55. A method for providing a magnetic element comprising:
-
providing a pinned layer;
providing a spacer layer, the spacer layer being insulating and having an ordered crystal structure, the spacer layer being configured to allow tunneling through the spacer layer;
providing a free layer, the spacer layer residing between the pinned layer and the free layer; and
wherein the magnetic element is configured to allow the free layer to be switched due to spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58)
-
-
59. A method for providing magnetic element comprising:
-
providing a first pinned layer;
providing an insulating spacer layer, the insulating spacer layer being insulating and having an ordered crystal structure, the insulating spacer layer being configured to allow tunneling through the insulating spacer layer;
providing a free layer, the insulating spacer layer residing between the pinned layer and the free layer;
providing a spacer layer, the spacer being nonmagnetic and either conductive or insulating, the free layer residing between the insulating spacer layer and the spacer layer; and
providing a second pinned layer, the spacer layer residing between the free layer and the second pinned layer;
wherein the magnetic element is configured to allow the free layer to be switched due to spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element.
-
Specification