MAGNETIC TUNNEL JUNCTION DEVICE
First Claim
1. A magnetic tunnel junction device, comprising:
- a synthetic antiferromagnet (SAF) structure having at least first and second ferromagnetic (FM) layers separated by a coupling layer, wherein the first FM layer has first and second portions;
a further layer containing Ta, Zr, Hf, Ti, Mg, Nb, V, Zn, Cr or a combination thereof, spaced apart from the coupling layer by at least the first portion of the first FM layer; and
a dielectric tunnel barrier proximate the second portion of the first FM layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) (10) employing a dielectric tunneling barrier (16), useful in magnetoresistive random access memories (MRAMs) and other devices, has a synthetic antiferromagnet (SAF) structure (14, 16), comprising two ferromagnetic (FM) layers (26, 41; 51, 58; 61, 68) separated by a coupling layer (38, 56, 66). Improved magnetoresistance (MR) ratio is obtained by providing a further layer (44, 46, 46′, 47, 52, 62), e.g. containing Ta, preferably spaced apart from the coupling layer (38, 56, 66) by a FM layer (41, 30-2, 54). The further layer (44, 46, 46′, 47, 52, 62) may be a Ta dusting layer (44) covered by a FM layer (30-2), or a Ta containing FM alloyed layer (46), or a stack (46′) of interleaved FM and N-FM layers, or other combination (47, 62). Furthering these benefits, another FM layer, e.g., CoFe, NiFe, (30, 30-1, 51, 61) is desirably provided between the further layer (44, 46, 46′, 47, 52, 62) and the tunneling barrier (16). Ta, Zr, Hf, Ti, Mg, Nb, V, Zn, Cr, NiFeX, CoFeX and CoFeBX (X═Ta, Zr, Hf, Ti, Mg, Nb, V, Zn, Cr) are useful for the further layer (44, 46, 46′, 47, 52, 62).
64 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A magnetic tunnel junction device, comprising:
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a synthetic antiferromagnet (SAF) structure having at least first and second ferromagnetic (FM) layers separated by a coupling layer, wherein the first FM layer has first and second portions; a further layer containing Ta, Zr, Hf, Ti, Mg, Nb, V, Zn, Cr or a combination thereof, spaced apart from the coupling layer by at least the first portion of the first FM layer; and a dielectric tunnel barrier proximate the second portion of the first FM layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An electronic device, comprising:
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a top electrode; a tunnel barrier; a free synthetic anti-ferromagnetic (SAF) structure located between the tunnel barrier and the top electrode and comprising; first and second ferromagnetic (FM) layers, wherein the first FM layer overlies the tunnel barrier and the second FM layer underlies the top electrode; a non-ferromagnetic (N-FM) coupling layer comprising one or more of Ru, Re, Os, Ir, and Rh, located between the first and second FM layers; a further layer containing a N-FM material different than the coupling layer and located between the coupling layer and the first FM layer; and a still further FM layer located between the coupling layer and the further layer. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An electronic device incorporating a pinned synthetic anti-ferromagnetic (SAF) structure, comprising:
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a pinning layer; a tunnel barrier; a pinned synthetic anti-ferromagnetic (SAF) structure between the tunnel barrier and the pinning layer and comprising; first and second ferromagnetic (FM) layers, wherein the first FM layer underlies the tunnel barrier and the second FM layer overlies the pinning layer; a non-ferromagnetic (N-FM) coupling layer comprising one or more of Ru, Re, Os, Ir, and Rh, located between the first and second FM layers; and a further layer containing a N-FM material different than the coupling layer and located between the coupling layer and the first FM layer. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification