STORAGE ELEMENT AND MEMORY

• US 20080140922A1
• Filed: 10/17/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ohmori, Hiroyuki, Oishi, Yuki, Hosomi, Masanori, Yamamoto, Tetsuya, Kano, Hiroshi, Yamane, Kazutaka, Higo, Yutaka
• Application Number:
  US11/874,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20080140922A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/105
• 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 storage layer which stores information based on a magnetization state of a magnetic material;

a fixed magnetization layer provided for the storage layer with a tunnel insulating layer in between;

a spin barrier layer which suppresses diffusion of spin-polarized electrons and is provided on the side of the storage layer opposite the fixed magnetization layer; and

a spin absorption layer formed of a nonmagnetic metal layer causing a spin pumping phenomenon and provided on the side of the spin barrier layer opposite the storage layer, wherein

a direction of magnetization in the storage layer is changed by passing current in a layering direction to inject the spin-polarized electrons so that information is recorded in the storage layer and

the spin barrier layer includes one or more materials selected from oxides, nitrides, and fluorides.

2. A storage element according to claim 1, wherein

the storage layer includes a plurality of ferromagnetic layers layered through nonmagnetic layers.

3. A storage element according to claim 2, wherein

the ferromagnetic layers forming the storage layer include CoFeB as a main component;

the nonmagnetic layers forming the storage layer include at least one nonmagnetic element selected from Ti, Ta, Nb, and Cr; and

the content of the nonmagnetic element in the storage layer is 1 atom % or greater and 20 atom % or less.

4. A storage element according to claim 1, wherein

the tunnel insulating layer includes magnesium oxide.

5. A storage element according to claim 1, wherein

the tunnel insulating layer and the spin barrier layer include magnesium oxide.

6. A storage element according to claim 1, wherein

the spin absorption layer includes at least one element selected from Pt, Ru, Pd, and Au.

7. A storage element according to claim 1, wherein

a thickness of the spin absorption layer is greater than a spin diffusion length of the material forming the spin absorption layer.

8. A memory comprising:

a storage element having a storage layer which stores information based on a magnetization state of a magnetic material and

two types of mutually intersecting lines,

wherein the storage element includes a fixed magnetization layer provided for the storage layer with a tunnel insulating layer in between;

a spin barrier layer which suppresses diffusion of spin-polarized electrons and is provided on the side of the storage layer opposite the fixed magnetization layer;

a spin absorption layer formed of a nonmagnetic metal layer causing a spin pumping phenomenon and provided on the side of the spin barrier layer opposite the storage layer;

in which 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 in which the spin barrier layer includes one or more materials selected from oxides, nitrides, and fluorides, and

wherein the storage element is positioned in the vicinity of an intersection of the two types of line and between the two types of line and current flows in the layering direction of the storage element through the two types of line to inject spin-polarized electrons.