MAGNETORESISTIVE STRUCTURES, MAGNETIC RANDOM-ACCESS MEMORY DEVICES INCLUDING THE SAME AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURING THE MAGNETORESISTIVE STRUCTURE

• US 20140252519A1
• Filed: 01/29/2014
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Kee-Won Kim, Kwang-Seok Kim, Sung-Chul Lee, Ung-Hwan Pi, Young-Man Jang
• Inventors: KIM, Kee-won, KIM, Kwang-seok, LEE, Sung-chul, JANG, Young-man, PI, Ung-hwan
• Granted Patent: US 9,570,675 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/427
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/161 details concerning the memory cell structure, e.g. the layers of the ferromagnetic memory cell
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 61/22 of the field-effect transistor [FET] type
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/01 Manufacture or treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/10 Magnetoresistive devices

Abstract

Magnetoresistive structures, magnetic random-access memory devices including the same, and methods of manufacturing the magnetoresistive structure, include a first magnetic layer having a magnetization direction that is fixed, a second magnetic layer corresponding to the first magnetic layer, wherein a magnetization direction of the second magnetic layer is changeable, and a magnetoresistance (MR) enhancing layer and an intermediate layer both between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer.

Claims

1. A magnetoresistive structure, comprising:

a first magnetic layer having a magnetization direction that is fixed;

a second magnetic layer corresponding to the first magnetic layer, wherein a magnetization direction of the second magnetic layer is changeable magnetization direction; and

a magnetoresistance (MR) enhancing layer and an intermediate layer both between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer.

2. The magnetoresistive structure of claim 1, wherein an area of the second magnetic layer is larger than an area of the first magnetic layer.

3. The magnetoresistive structure of claim 2, wherein an area of the MR enhancing layer and an area of the intermediate layer are each larger than the area of the first magnetic layer.

4. The magnetoresistive structure of claim 3, wherein the MR enhancing layer covers an upper surface and side surfaces of the first magnetic layer.

5. The magnetoresistive structure of claim 4, wherein the second magnetic layer covers an upper surface of the intermediate layer.

6. The magnetoresistive structure of claim 1, wherein the MR enhancing layer has a thickness of about 0.1 nm to about 10 nm.

7. The magnetoresistive structure of claim 1, wherein the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer each include a material having a horizontal magnetic anisotropy.

8. The magnetoresistive structure of claim 1, wherein the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer each include a material having a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.

9. A magnetic random-access memory device, comprising:

a switching structure; and

a magnetoresistive structure connected to the switching structure, wherein the magnetoresistive structure includes,

a first magnetic layer having a magnetization direction that is fixed;

a second magnetic layer corresponding to the first magnetic layer, a magnetization direction of the second magnetic layer being changeable; and

a magnetoresistance (MR) enhancing layer and an intermediate layer both between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer.

10. The magnetic random-access memory device of claim 9, wherein an area of the second magnetic layer is larger than an area of the first magnetic layer.

11. The magnetic random-access memory device of claim 10, wherein an area of the MR enhancing layer and an area of the intermediate layer are each larger than the area of the first magnetic layer.

12. The magnetic random-access memory device of claim 11, wherein the MR enhancing layer covers an upper surface and side surfaces of the first magnetic layer.

13. The magnetic random-access memory device of claim 12, wherein the second magnetic layer covers an upper surface of the intermediate layer.

14. The magnetic random-access memory device of claim 9, wherein the MR enhancing layer has a thickness of about 0.1 nm to about 10 nm.

15. The magnetic random-access memory device of claim 9, wherein the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer each formed include a material having a magnetic anisotropy that is horizontal.

16. The magnetic random-access memory device of claim 9, wherein the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer each include a material having a magnetic anisotropy that is perpendicular.

17-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A magnetic random-access memory device, comprising:

a first magnetic layer having a fixed magnetization direction;

a second magnetic layer operatively connected to the first magnetic layer, wherein the second magnetic layer extends over the first magnetic layer, and the second magnetic layer has a variable magnetization direction; and

a resistive structure separating the first magnetic layer from the second magnetic layer, wherein the resistive structure includes at least one magnetoresistive layer and at least one intermediate layer.

22. The magnetic random-access memory device of claim 21, wherein a surface area of the second magnetic layer is larger than a surface area of the first magnetic layer.

23. The magnetic random-access memory device of claim 21, wherein the first and second magnetic layers have the same magnetic anisotropy.

24. The magnetic random-access memory device of claim 21, wherein

the at least one magnetoresistive layer covers at least one of an upper surface of the first magnetic layer and sidewalls of the first magnetic layer, and

the at least one intermediate layer has a profile conformal with a profile of the at least one magnetoresistive layer.

25. The magnetic random-access memory device of claim 24, further comprising:

at least one passivation layer covering the sidewalls of the first magnetic layer, wherein the at least one passivation layer and the at least one magnetoresistive layer collectively form a protective cap over the first magnetic layer.

26. The magnetic random-access memory device of claim 21, wherein

the at least one intermediate layer is stacked over the at least one magnetoresistive layer, and

the at least one magnetoresistive layer contacts the first magnetic layer.

27. The magnetic random-access memory device of claim 21, wherein a width of the second magnetic layer is larger than a width of the first magnetic layer.