Magnetic element utilizing spin transfer and an MRAM device using the magnetic element

• US 6,714,444 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2002
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Semiconductor Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Grandis, Inc. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Paul P., Huai, Yiming
• Primary Examiner(s): PHUNG, ANH K
• Application Number:
  US10/213,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20040027853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 365/171, 365/173, 365/158, 365/189.04
• US Class Current: 365/171
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 25/00 Nanomagnetism, e.g. magnetoimpedance, anisotropic magnetoresistance, giant magnetoresistance or tunneling magnetoresistance
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 10/3263 the exchange coupling being symmetric, e.g. for dual spin valve, e.g. NiO/Co/Cu/Co/Cu/Co/NiO
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/302 for applying spin-exchange-coupled multilayers, e.g. nanostructured superlattices spin-exchange-coupled multilayers H01F10/32

Abstract

A method and system for providing a magnetic element capable of being written using spin-transfer effect while generating a high output signal and a magnetic memory using the magnetic element are disclosed. The magnetic element includes a first ferromagnetic pinned layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, a ferromagnetic free layer, an insulating barrier layer and a second ferromagnetic pinned layer. The pinned layer has a magnetization pinned in a first direction. The nonmagnetic spacer layer is conductive and is between the first pinned layer and the free layer. The barrier layer resides between the free layer and the second pinned layer and is an insulator having a thickness allowing electron tunneling through the barrier layer. The second pinned layer has a magnetization pinned in a second direction. The magnetic element is configured to allow the magnetization of the free layer to change direction due to spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element.

Claims

1. A magnetic element comprising:

a first pinned layer, the pinned layer being ferromagnetic and having a first magnetization, the first magnetization being pinned in a first direction;

a nonmagnetic spacer layer, the nonmagnetic spacer layer being conductive;

a free layer, the first nonmagnetic spacer layer residing between the first pinned layer and the free layer, the free layer being ferromagnetic and having a second magnetization;

a barrier layer, the barrier layer being an insulator and having a thickness that allows tunneling through the barrier layer;

a second pinned layer, the second pinned layer being ferromagnetic and having a third magnetization pinned in a second direction, the barrier layer being between the free layer and the second pinned layer;

wherein the magnetic element is configured to allow the second magnetization of the free layer to change direction due to spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element.

2. The magnetic element of claim 1 wherein the first direction is opposite to the second direction.

3. The magnetic element of claim 1 further comprising:

a first antiferromagnetic layer adjacent to the first pinned layer, the first antiferromagnetic layer for pinning the first magnetization of the first pinned layer; and

a second antiferromagnetic layer adjacent to the second pinned layer, the second antiferromagnetic layer for pinning the third magnetization of the second pinned layer.

4. The magnetic element of claim 3 wherein the first antiferromagnetic layer and the second antiferromagnetic layer include PtMn.

5. The magnetic element of claim 3 wherein the first antiferromagnetic layer has a first blocking temperature, the second antiferromagnetic layer has a second blocking temperature, the second blocking temperature being different from the first blocking temperature.

6. The magnetic element of claim 1 wherein the first pinned layer is a synthetic pinned layer.

7. The magnetic element of claim 1 wherein the second pinned layer is a synthetic pinned layer.

8. The magnetic element of claim 1 wherein the magnetic element has a width of less than or equal to 200 nm.

9. The magnetic element of claim 8 wherein the magnetic element has a width of approximately 100 nm.

10. The magnetic element of claim 9 wherein the magnetic element has a depth of approximately 50 nm.

11. A magnetic memory device comprising:

a plurality of magnetic cells including a plurality of magnetic elements, each of the plurality of magnetic elements including a first pinned layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, a free layer, a barrier layer, and a second pinned layer, the first pinned layer being ferromagnetic and having a first magnetization, the first magnetization being pinned in a first direction, the nonmagnetic spacer layer being conductive and residing between the first pinned layer and the free layer, the free layer being ferromagnetic and having a second magnetization, the barrier layer being an insulator and having a thickness that allows tunneling through the barrier layer, the second pinned layer being ferromagnetic and having a third magnetization pinned in a second direction, the barrier layer being between the free layer and the second pinned layer, each of the plurality of magnetic elements being configured such that the second magnetization of the free layer can change direction due to spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element;

a plurality of row lines coupled to the plurality of magnetic cells; and

a plurality of column lines coupled with the plurality of cells, the plurality of row lines and the plurality of column lines for selecting a portion of the plurality of magnetic cells for reading and writing.

12. The magnetic memory device of claim 11 wherein the magnetic memory is configured to write to the portion of the plurality of magnetic cells without requiring the use of additional lines.

13. The magnetic memory device of claim 11 wherein the first direction of the first magnetization of the first pinned layer is opposite to the second direction of the third magnetization of the second pinned layer.

14. The magnetic memory device of claim 11 wherein each of the plurality of magnetic elements further include:

a first antiferromagnetic layer adjacent to the first pinned layer, the first antiferromagnetic layer for pinning the first magnetization of the first pinned layer; and

a second antiferromagnetic layer adjacent to the second pinned layer, the second antiferromagnetic layer for pinning the third magnetization of the second pinned layer.

15. The magnetic memory device of claim 14 wherein the first antiferromagnetic layer and the second antiferromagnetic layer include PtMn.

16. The magnetic memory device of claim 14 wherein the first antiferromagnetic layer has a first blocking temperature, the second antiferromagnetic layer has a second blocking temperature, the second blocking temperature being different from the first blocking temperature.

17. The magnetic memory device of claim 11 wherein the first pinned layer is a synthetic pinned layer.

18. The magnetic memory device of claim 11 wherein the second pinned layer is a synthetic pinned layer.

19. The magnetic memory device of claim 11 wherein each of the plurality of magnetic elements has a width of less than or equal to 200 nm.

20. The magnetic memory device of claim 19 wherein each of the plurality of magnetic elements has a width of approximately 100 nm.

21. The magnetic memory device of claim 20 wherein the magnetic element has a depth of approximately 50 nm.