Three-layered stacked magnetic spin polarization device with memory

• US 6,603,677 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2001
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (AES Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (AES Corporation)
• Inventors: Dieny, Bernard, Redon, Olivier, Rodmacq, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Elms, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, NAM THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/988,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20020105827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 365/158, 365/171, 365/173, 338/22, 360/324.1, 324/252, 428/212
• US Class Current: 365/158
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 25/00 Nanomagnetism, e.g. magnetoimpedance, anisotropic magnetoresistance, giant magnetoresistance or tunneling magnetoresistance
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/161 details concerning the memory cell structure, e.g. the layers of the ferromagnetic memory cell
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/1675 Writing or programming circuits or methods
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 10/3218 Exchange coupling of magnetic films via an antiferromagnetic interface H01F10/3268 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 10/3254 the spacer being semiconducting or insulating, e.g. for spin tunnel junction [STJ]
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 10/3268 the exchange coupling being asymmetric, e.g. by use of additional pinning, by using antiferromagnetic or ferromagnetic coupling interface, i.e. so-called spin-valve [SV] structure, e.g. NiFe/Cu/NiFe/FeMn
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 61/20 comprising components having three or more electrodes, e.g. transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/10 Magnetoresistive devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24942 including components having same physical characteristic in differing degree

Abstract

A magnetic device including at least a memory cell having a first magnetic layer with a fixed magnetization direction. The first magnetic layer spin polarizes a writing current of electrons. The memory cell includes a second magnetic layer having a three-layered stack with a variable magnetization direction. An insulating or semi-conduction layer is formed between the first and second magnetic layers. The variable magnetization direction is oriented by spins of a spin polarized writing current. The three-layered stack includes two magnetic layers separated by a non-magnetic conducting layer. The first magnetic layer aligns the variable magnetization direction with the fixed magnetization direction by directing an incident writing current of electrons perpendicular through the first magnetic layer and then perpendicular through the second magnetic layer. The first magnetic layer opposes the variable magnetization direction with the fixed magnetization direction by directing another incident writing current of electrons perpendicular through the second magnetic layer and then perpendicular through the first magnetic layer to.

Claims

1. A magnetic recording device comprising:

at least one magnetic cell including,

a first magnetic layer having a fixed magnetization direction and configured to spin polarize a writing current of electrons,

a second magnetic layer having a first tri-layer stack that includes two magnetic layers with anti-parallel magnetizations, separated by a first conducting non-magnetic layer, said second magnetic layer having a variable magnetization direction oriented as a function of a direction of a spin polarized writing current of electrons having a predetermined writing density,

an insulating or semi-conducting layer that separates the first layer from the second layer, and

said first magnetic layer configured to align said variable magnetization direction with said fixed magnetization direction by directing an incident writing current of electrons perpendicular through said first magnetic layer and then perpendicular through said second magnetic layer, and to oppose said variable magnetization direction with said fixed magnetization direction by directing another incident writing current of electrons perpendicular through said second magnetic layer and then perpendicular through said first magnetic layer.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said first magnetic layer comprises a second tri-layer stack that includes two magnetic layers with anti-parallel magnetizations, separated by a second conducting non-magnetic layer, said second tri-layer stack being covered with a first layer of anti-ferromagnetic exchange which fixes said fixed magnetization direction in said second tri-layer stack.

3. The device of claim 2, further comprising:

a third tri-layer stack that includes two magnetic layers with anti-parallel magnetizations, separated by a third conducting non-magnetic layer, said third tri-layer stack is separated from the second magnetic layer by a fourth conducting non-magnetic layer, and said third tri-layer stack is mounted on a second anti-ferromagnetic exchange layer which fixes a magnetization direction in said third tri-layer stack.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the two magnetic layers in the first tri-layer stack are of the same thickness.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the magnetic layers of at least one of the first tri-layer stack, the second tri-layer stack, and the third tri-layer stack are made from a material taken from the group formed by Co, Fe, Ni and their alloys.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the second conducting non-magnetic layer of the first tri-layer stack, the first conducting non-magnetic layer of the second tri-layer stack, and the third conducting non-magnetic layer of the third tri-layer stack is made from a metal taken from the group formed by Ru, Re, Cu, Cr, Pt, and Ag.

7. The device of claim 2, wherein at least one of the first anti-ferromagnetic layer and the second anti-ferromagnetic layer is made from a Mn-based alloy.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a writing unit configured to carry said writing current of electrons based on information data.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising:

a reading unit configured to carry and pass a reading current of electrons through said first and second magnetic layers with a reading density less than said predetermined writing density, and

a measuring unit configured to measure a voltage at terminals of the magnetic recording device.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a matrix of memory cells addressable via addressable rows and columns; and

current switches connected in series with said memory cells, each memory cell being connected to an addressing row of said rows and each current switch being connected to an addressing column of said columns.

11. The device of claim 10, further comprising:

a reference column; and

a comparing unit configured to compare a voltage read at terminals of a first memory cell located at an intersection between a predetermined row of said rows and a predetermined column of said columns, and a voltage read at terminals of a second memory cell located at an intersection between said predetermined row and said reference column.