PERPENDICULAR MAGNETIC RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY (MRAM) DEVICE WITH A STABLE REFERENCE CELL
First Claim
1. A magnetic random access memory (MRAM) element configured to store a state when electric current flows therethrough comprising:
- at least one magneto tunnel junction (MTJ) configured to store a data bit, the at least one first MJT including,a magnetic free layer (FL) having a switchable magnetization with a direction that is perpendicular to a film plane, the direction of magnetization of the FL determinative of the data bit stored in the at least one MTJ;
a magnetic reference layer (RL) having a magnetization with a direction that is perpendicular to the film plane;
a magnetic pinned layer (PL) having a magnetization with a direction that is perpendicular to the film plane;
a junction layer (JL) existing between FL and RL;
a change of magnetization orientation of FL relative to the magnetization orientation of RL produces a resistance change across the JL;
a spacer layer (SL) disposed immediately adjacent to the PL;
the directions of magnetization of the RL and the PL being anti-parallel relative to each other,wherein when electric current is applied to the first MTJ, the magnetization orientation of the FL switches during a write operation, whereas, the direction of magnetization the RL and the PL remain the sameat least another second MTJ configured to store a reference bit that is used to compare with the first MTJ to retrieve the data bit stored in the first MTJ, whereas the second MTJ includesa magnetic free layer (FL) having a switchable magnetization with a direction that is perpendicular to a film plane, the direction of magnetization of the FL determinative of the data bit stored in the at least one MTJ;
a magnetic reference layer (RL) having a magnetization with a direction that is perpendicular to the film plane;
a magnetic pinned layer (PL) having a magnetization with a direction that is perpendicular to the film plane,a junction layer (JL) existing between FL and RLa change of magnetization orientation of FL relative to the magnetization orientation of RL produces a resistance change across the JLa spacer layer (SL) disposed immediately adjacent to the PLthe directions of magnetizations of the RL and the PL of the second MTJ being parallel relative to each other,
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Accused Products
Abstract
A magnetic random access memory (MRAM) element is configured to store a state when electric current flows and includes a first magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) for storing a data bit and a second MTJ for storing a reference bit. The direction of magnetization of the FL is determinative of the data bit stored in the at least one MTJ. Further, the MTJ includes a magnetic reference layer (RL) having a magnetization with a direction that is perpendicular to the film plane, and a magnetic pinned layer (PL) having a magnetization with a direction that is perpendicular to the film plane. The direction of magnetization of the RL and the PL are anti-parallel relative to each other in the first MTJ. The direction of magnetization of the FL, the RL and the PL are parallel relative to each other in the second MTJ.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A magnetic random access memory (MRAM) element configured to store a state when electric current flows therethrough comprising:
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at least one magneto tunnel junction (MTJ) configured to store a data bit, the at least one first MJT including, a magnetic free layer (FL) having a switchable magnetization with a direction that is perpendicular to a film plane, the direction of magnetization of the FL determinative of the data bit stored in the at least one MTJ; a magnetic reference layer (RL) having a magnetization with a direction that is perpendicular to the film plane; a magnetic pinned layer (PL) having a magnetization with a direction that is perpendicular to the film plane; a junction layer (JL) existing between FL and RL; a change of magnetization orientation of FL relative to the magnetization orientation of RL produces a resistance change across the JL; a spacer layer (SL) disposed immediately adjacent to the PL; the directions of magnetization of the RL and the PL being anti-parallel relative to each other, wherein when electric current is applied to the first MTJ, the magnetization orientation of the FL switches during a write operation, whereas, the direction of magnetization the RL and the PL remain the same at least another second MTJ configured to store a reference bit that is used to compare with the first MTJ to retrieve the data bit stored in the first MTJ, whereas the second MTJ includes a magnetic free layer (FL) having a switchable magnetization with a direction that is perpendicular to a film plane, the direction of magnetization of the FL determinative of the data bit stored in the at least one MTJ; a magnetic reference layer (RL) having a magnetization with a direction that is perpendicular to the film plane; a magnetic pinned layer (PL) having a magnetization with a direction that is perpendicular to the film plane, a junction layer (JL) existing between FL and RL a change of magnetization orientation of FL relative to the magnetization orientation of RL produces a resistance change across the JL a spacer layer (SL) disposed immediately adjacent to the PL the directions of magnetizations of the RL and the PL of the second MTJ being parallel relative to each other, - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification