Magnetic memory devices having multiple magnetic tunnel junctions therein

• US 6,072,718 A
• Filed: 02/10/1998
• Issued: 06/06/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Trouilloud, Philip Louis, Abraham, David William, Gallagher, William Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Son T.
• Application Number:
  US09/021,342
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 365/158, 365/171, 365/173, 257/295, 257/427, 360/113, 360/119
• US Class Current: 365/173
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/15 using multiple magnetic layers G11C11/155 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/16 using elements in which the storage effect is based on magnetic spin effect
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/1659 Cell access
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/1675 Writing or programming circuits or methods
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/74 using duplex memories, i.e. using dual copies
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 61/10 comprising components having two electrodes, e.g. diodes or MIM elements

Abstract

Magnetic memory devices are disclosed having multiple magnetic tunnel junctions therein writable together into an average state. For example, a magnetic random access memory ("MRAM") array is disclosed having respective pluralities of crossing first and second electrically conductive lines forming a plurality of intersecting regions across the array. The array includes a plurality of magnetic memory cells, each disposed at a respective one of the plurality of intersecting regions. Each cell includes at least two magnetic tunnel junctions therein, writable together into an average state, according to electrical and resultant magnetic stimuli applied thereto via a respective first and second conductive line. The at least two magnetic tunnel junctions provided in each magnetic memory cell provide a predictable magnetic response for all cells across the array. Only the cell at an intersecting region selected by stimuli applied via each of the first and second electrically conductive lines forming the selected region is written, and other cells along the first and second electrically conductive lines forming the selected region are not written. An operating window of applied electrical and therefore magnetic stimuli can be defined to ensure cell selectivity across the memory array.

Claims

1. A magnetic device, operable using at least one electrode, comprising:

at least two magnetic tunnel junctions, writable together into an average state to be thereafter sensed as such, according to magnetic stimuli applied thereto via said at least one electrode.

2. The magnetic device of claim 1 in combination with a memory array, said magnetic device comprising a magnetic memory cell of said memory array, said combination including:

respective pluralities of crossing first and second electrically conductive lines forming a plurality of intersecting regions across the array; and

a plurality of magnetic memory cells, including said magnetic memory cell, each disposed at a respective one of the plurality of intersecting regions, each of the plurality of magnetic memory cells having at least two magnetic tunnel junctions therein, and therefore a substantially uniform magnetic response, such that only the cell at an intersecting region selected by electrical and resultant magnetic stimuli applied via each of the first and second electrically conductive lines forming said selected intersecting region is written, and cells other than the cell along the first and second electrically conductive lines forming said selected intersecting region are not written.

3. The magnetic device of claim 1, wherein the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions are arranged in series between first and second electrodes of the at least one electrode to accept the magnetic stimuli therefrom.

4. The magnetic device of claim 1, wherein the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions are arranged in parallel between first and second electrodes of the at least one electrode to accept the magnetic stimuli therefrom.

5. The magnetic device of claim 1, wherein each of the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions comprises:

a first region having a reference direction of magnetization; and

a second region having a direction of magnetization changeable according to the magnetic stimuli applied thereto.

6. The magnetic device of claim 5, wherein the first region of each of the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions is part of a single, cohesive magnetic region having said reference direction of magnetization.

7. The magnetic device of claim 5, wherein the second regions of the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions are formed to be mutually magnetically decoupled from each other.

8. The magnetic device of claim 7, wherein the second regions of the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions comprise respective layers arranged co-planar to each other and separated by a non-magnetic material.

9. The magnetic device of claim 7, wherein the second region of each of the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions comprises a magnetic granule.

10. The magnetic device of claim 9, wherein the second regions of the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions together comprise a region patterned out of a magnetic media having multiple magnetic granules therein, each magnetic granule forming a respective second region.

11. The magnetic device of claim 1, wherein each of the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions comprises:

a first region having a reference direction of magnetization; and

a second region having anti-parallel directions of magnetization therein together changeable according to the electrical and resultant magnetic stimuli applied thereto, one of the anti-parallel directions of magnetization effecting cell tunneling in connection with its respective first region, the anti-parallel directions of magnetization minimizing the mutual magnetic coupling with other magnetic tunnel junctions in said magnetic memory cell.

12. A method for storing an average state in a magnetic device using at least one electrode, comprising:

writing at least two magnetic tunnel junctions together into said state, according to magnetic stimuli applied thereto via said at least one electrode; and

thereafter sensing the average state from the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions are arranged in series between first and second electrodes of the at least one electrode to accept the magnetic stimuli therefrom.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions are arranged in parallel between first and second electrodes of the at least one electrode to accept the magnetic stimuli therefrom.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions includes:

a first region having a reference direction of magnetization; and

a second region having a direction of magnetization changeable according to the magnetic stimuli applied thereto.

16. A method for forming a magnetic device, comprising:

providing at least one electrode; and

forming said magnetic device proximate said at least one electrode, the magnetic device including at least two magnetic tunnel junctions therein, writable together into an average state to be thereafter sensed as such, according to magnetic stimuli applied thereto via the at least one electrode.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of forming the magnetic device comprises:

forming the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions in series between respective first and second electrodes of the at least one electrode to accept the magnetic stimuli therefrom.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of forming the magnetic device comprises:

forming the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions in parallel between first and second electrodes of the at least one electrode to accept the magnetic stimuli therefrom.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of forming the magnetic device comprises:

forming a first region in each of the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions, the first regions each having a reference direction of magnetization; and

forming a second region in each of the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions, the second regions each having a direction of magnetization changeable according to the magnetic stimuli applied thereto.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first region of each of the at least two magnetic junctions is formed from a single, cohesive magnetic region having said reference direction of magnetization.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the second regions of each of the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions are formed to be mutually magnetically decoupled from each other.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the second regions of the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions are formed as respective layers arranged co-planar to each other and separated by a magnetically insulating material.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the second region of each of the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions is formed as a magnetic granule.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of forming a second region in each of the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions comprises patterning the second regions together out of a magnetic media having multiple magnetic granules therein, each magnetic granule forming a respective second region.

25. A method for forming a magnetic memory array, comprising:

providing a plurality of first conductive lines, and a crossing plurality of second conductive lines, thereby forming a plurality of intersecting regions across the array; and

forming a magnetic memory cell at one intersecting region of the plurality of intersecting regions, the magnetic memory cell including at least two magnetic tunnel junctions therein, writable together into an average state, according to magnetic stimuli applied thereto via the respective first and crossing second lines forming said one intersecting region.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of forming the magnetic memory cell comprises:

forming the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions in series between the respective first and crossing second lines to accept the magnetic stimuli therefrom.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of forming the magnetic memory cell comprises:

forming the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions in parallel between the respective first and crossing second lines to accept the magnetic stimuli.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of forming the magnetic memory cell comprises:

forming a first region in each of the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions, the first regions each having a reference direction of magnetization; and

forming a second region in each of the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions, the second regions each having a direction of magnetization changeable according to the magnetic stimuli applied thereto.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the first region of each of the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions is formed from a single, cohesive magnetic region having said reference direction of magnetization.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the second regions of the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions are formed to be mutually magnetically decoupled from each other.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the second regions of the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions are formed as respective layers arranged co-planar to each other and separated by a magnetically insulating material.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the second region of each of the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions is formed as a magnetic granule.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of forming a second region in each of the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions comprises patterning the second regions together out of a magnetic media having multiple magnetic granules therein, each magnetic granule forming a respective second region.

34. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of forming the magnetic memory cell comprises:

forming a first region in each of the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions, the first regions each having a reference direction of magnetization; and

forming a second region in each of the at least two magnetic tunnel junctions, the second regions each having anti-parallel directions of magnetization therein together changeable according to the magnetic stimuli applied thereto, one of the anti-parallel directions of magnetization effecting cell tunneling in connection with its respective first region, the anti-parallel directions of magnetization minimizing the mutual magnetic coupling with other magnetic tunnel junctions in said magnetic memory cell.