Magnetic element utilizing spin transfer and an MRAM device using the magnetic element
First Claim
1. A magnetic element comprising:
- a first pinned layer;
a nonmagnetic spacer layer, the nonmagnetic spacer layer being conductive;
a simple free layer, the nonmagnetic spacer layer residing between the first pinned layer and the simple free layer, the simple free layer being ferromagnetic and having a free layer 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 barrier layer being between the simple free layer and the second pinned layer;
wherein the magnetic element is configured to allow the free layer magnetization to be switched due to spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element;
wherein the simple free layer contains boron.
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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.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A magnetic element comprising:
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a first pinned layer;
a nonmagnetic spacer layer, the nonmagnetic spacer layer being conductive;
a simple free layer, the nonmagnetic spacer layer residing between the first pinned layer and the simple free layer, the simple free layer being ferromagnetic and having a free layer 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 barrier layer being between the simple free layer and the second pinned layer;
wherein the magnetic element is configured to allow the free layer magnetization to be switched due to spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element;
wherein the simple free layer contains boron. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A magnetic element comprising:
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a first pinned layer, the first pinned layer being a first synthetic pinned layer;
a nonmagnetic spacer layer, the nonmagnetic spacer layer being conductive;
a simple free layer, the nonmagnetic spacer layer residing between the first pinned layer and the simple free layer, the simple free layer being ferromagnetic and having a free layer 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 barrier layer being between the simple free layer and the second pinned layer;
wherein the magnetic element is configured to allow the free layer magnetization to be switched due to spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element;
wherein the first synthetic pinned layer includes a ferromagnetic layer adjacent to the nonmagnetic spacer layer, wherein the ferromagnetic layer has a first magnetization and the second pinned layer has a second magnetization and wherein the first magnetization and the second magnetization are oriented in opposite directions. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6)
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7. A magnetic element comprising:
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a first pinned layer, the first pinned layer being a first synthetic pinned layer;
a nonmagnetic spacer layer, the nonmagnetic spacer layer being conductive;
a simple free layer, the nonmagnetic spacer layer residing between the first pinned layer and the simple free layer, the simple free layer being ferromagnetic and having a free layer 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 barrier layer being between the simple free layer and the second pinned layer;
wherein the magnetic element is configured to allow the free layer magnetization to be switched due to spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element;
wherein the second pinned layer is a second synthetic pinned layer. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A magnetic element comprising:
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a first pinned layer;
a nonmagnetic spacer layer, the nonmagnetic spacer layer being conductive;
a simple free layer, the nonmagnetic spacer layer residing between the first pinned layer and the simple free layer, the simple free layer being ferromagnetic and having a free layer 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 barrier layer being between the simple free layer and the second pinned layer, the second pinned layer being a first synthetic pinned layer;
wherein the magnetic element is configured to allow the free layer magnetization to be switched due to spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element;
wherein the first synthetic pinned layer includes a ferromagnetic layer adjacent to the barrier layer, wherein the ferromagnetic layer has a first magnetization and the first pinned layer has a second magnetization and wherein the first magnetization and the second magnetization are oriented in opposite directions. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A magnetic element comprising:
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a first pinned layer;
a nonmagnetic spacer layer, the nonmagnetic spacer layer being conductive;
a free layer, the nonmagnetic spacer layer residing between the first pinned layer and the free layer, the free layer having a free layer 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 barrier layer being between the free layer and the second pinned layer;
wherein the magnetic element is configured to allow the free layer magnetization to be switched due to spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element; and
wherein the first pinned layer and the second pinned layer are configured such that charge carriers both from the first pinned layer and from the second pinned layer can contribute to switching of the free layer magnetization due to spin transfer. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification