×

PERPENDICULAR MAGNETIC RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY (MRAM) DEVICE WITH A STABLE REFERENCE CELL

  • US 20130021841A1
  • Filed: 01/27/2012
  • Published: 01/24/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

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,

View all claims
  • 6 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×