BIPOLAR SPIN-TRANSFER SWITCHING
First Claim
1. A magnetic device comprising:
- a perpendicularly magnetized polarizing layer;
a free magnetic layer, the free magnetic layer forming a first electrode and separated from the magnetized polarizing layer by a first non-magnetic metal layer, the free magnetic layer having a magnetization vector having at least a first stable state and a second stable state;
a reference layer forming a second electrode and separated from the free-magnetic layer by a second non-magnetic layer;
wherein application of a current pulse, having either positive or negative polarity and a selected amplitude and duration, through a magnetic device switches the magnetization vector.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Orthogonal spin-transfer magnetic random access memory (OST-MRAM) uses a spin-polarizing layer magnetized perpendicularly to the free layer to achieve large spin-transfer torques and ultra-fast energy efficient switching. OST-MRAM devices that incorporate a perpendicularly magnetized spin-polarizing layer and a magnetic tunnel junction, which consists of an in-plane magnetized free layer and synthetic antiferromagnetic reference layer, exhibit improved performance over prior art devices. The switching is bipolar, occurring for positive and negative polarity pulses, consistent with a precessional reversal mechanism, and requires an energy less than 450 fJ and may be reliably observed at room temperature with 0.7 V amplitude pulses of 500 ps duration.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A magnetic device comprising:
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a perpendicularly magnetized polarizing layer; a free magnetic layer, the free magnetic layer forming a first electrode and separated from the magnetized polarizing layer by a first non-magnetic metal layer, the free magnetic layer having a magnetization vector having at least a first stable state and a second stable state; a reference layer forming a second electrode and separated from the free-magnetic layer by a second non-magnetic layer; wherein application of a current pulse, having either positive or negative polarity and a selected amplitude and duration, through a magnetic device switches the magnetization vector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of controlling a memory array having a plurality of cells each comprising:
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determining an initial state of a cell within the memory array determining if the initial state is the same as a write state corresponding to information to be written to the cell; if the initial state is different from the write state, applying a current pulse of either positive or negative polarity and of a selected amplitude and duration through the magnetic device switching the magnetization vector.
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18. A memory array comprising:
at least one bit cell including; a magnetic device having; a magnetic layer having a fixed magnetization vector; a free magnetic layer having a variable magnetization vector having at least a first stable state and a second stable state; a non-magnetic layer separating the magnetic layer with fixed magnetization vector and the free magnetic layer; wherein application of a current pulse having either positive or negative polarity and a sufficient amplitude and duration through the magnetic device switches the magnetization vector from either the first stable state to the second stable state or from the second stable state to the first stable state; and at least one transistor for current control and readout wherein application of a voltage to the at least one bit cell activates the bit cell.
Specification