Magnetic element utilizing spin-transfer and half-metals and an MRAM device using the magnetic element
First Claim
1. A magnetic element, comprising:
- a pinned layer and having a first magnetization that is pinned in a first direction;
a half-metallic material layer formed on the pinned layer;
a spacer layer formed on the half-metallic material layer, the spacer layer being nonmagnetic and conductive; and
a free layer formed on the spacer layer, the free layer having a second magnetization that changes direction based on the spin-transfer effect when a write current passes through the magnetic element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A magnetic element that can be used in a memory array having high density includes a pinned layer, a half-metallic material layer, a spacer (or a barrier) layer and a free layer. The half-metallic material layer is formed on the pinned layer and preferably has a thickness that is less than about 100 Å. The half-metallic material layer can be formed to be a continuous layer or a discontinuous on the pinned layer. The spacer (or barrier) layer is formed on the half-metallic material layer, such that the spacer (or barrier) layer is nonmagnetic and conductive (or insulating). The free layer is formed on the spacer (or barrier) layer and has a second magnetization that changes direction based on the spin-transfer effect when a write current passes through the magnetic element.
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Citations
108 Claims
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1. A magnetic element, comprising:
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a pinned layer and having a first magnetization that is pinned in a first direction; a half-metallic material layer formed on the pinned layer; a spacer layer formed on the half-metallic material layer, the spacer layer being nonmagnetic and conductive; and a free layer formed on the spacer layer, the free layer having a second magnetization that changes direction based on the spin-transfer effect when a write current passes through the magnetic element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11)
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8. A magnetic element, comprising:
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a pinned layer and having a first magnetization that is pinned in a first direction; a half-metallic material layer formed on the pinned layer; a spacer layer formed on the half-metallic material layer, the spacer layer being nonmagnetic and conductive; and a free layer formed on the spacer layer, the free layer having a second magnetization that changes direction based on the spin-transfer effect when a write current passes through the magnetic element; wherein the half-metallic material layer is a discontinuous layer on the pinned layer.
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12. A magnetic element, comprising:
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a pinned layer and having a first magnetization that is pinned in a first direction; a half-metallic material layer formed on the pinned layer; a spacer layer formed on the half-metallic material layer, the spacer layer being nonmagnetic and conductive; and a free layer formed on the spacer layer, the free layer having a second magnetization that changes direction based on the spin-transfer effect when a write current passes through the magnetic element; a second spacer layer formed on the free layer, the second spacer layer being nonmagnetic and conductive; a second half-metallic material layer formed on the second spacer layer; and a second pinned layer formed on the second half-metallic layer, the second pinned layer having a third magnetization that is pinned in a direction that is different from the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A magnetic element, comprising:
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a pinned layer and having a first magnetization that is pinned in a first direction; a half-metallic material layer formed on the pinned layer; a spacer layer formed on the half-metallic material layer, the spacer layer being nonmagnetic and conductive; and a free layer formed on the spacer layer, the free layer having a second magnetization that changes direction based on the spin-transfer effect when a write current passes through the magnetic element; a barrier layer formed on the free layer, the barrier layer an insulator and having a thickness that allows tunneling through the barrier layer; a second half-metallic material layer formed on the barrier layer; and a second pinned layer formed on the second half-metallic layer, the second pinned layer having a third magnetization that is pinned in a direction that is different from the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A magnetic memory device, comprising:
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a plurality of magnetic cells including a plurality of magnetic elements, at least one magnetic element including, a pinned layer and having a first magnetization that is pinned in a first direction, a half-metallic material layer formed on the pinned layer, a spacer layer formed on the half-metallic material layer, the spacer layer being nonmagnetic and conductive, and a free layer formed on the spacer layer, the free layer having a second magnetization that changes direction based on the spin-transfer effect when a write current passes through the magnetic element; a plurality of rows lines coupled to the plurality of magnetic cells; and a plurality of column lines coupled to the plurality of magnetic cells, the plurality of row lines and the plurality of column lines selecting a portion of the plurality of magnetic cells for reading and writing. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38)
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35. A magnetic memory device, comprising:
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a plurality of magnetic cells including a plurality of magnetic elements, at least one magnetic element including, a pinned layer and having a first magnetization that is pinned in a first direction, a half-metallic material layer formed on the pinned layer, a spacer layer formed on the half-metallic material layer, the spacer layer being nonmagnetic and conductive, and a free layer formed on the spacer layer, the free layer having a second magnetization that changes direction based on the spin-transfer effect when a write current passes through the magnetic element; a plurality of rows lines coupled to the plurality of magnetic cells; and a plurality of column lines coupled to the plurality of magnetic cells, the plurality of row lines and the plurality of column lines selecting a portion of the plurality of magnetic cells for reading and writing; wherein at least one half-metallic material layer of at least one magnetic element is a discontinuous layer.
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39. A magnetic memory device, comprising:
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a plurality of magnetic cells including a plurality of magnetic elements, at least one magnetic element including, a pinned layer and having a first magnetization that is pinned in a first direction, a half-metallic material layer formed on the pinned layer, a spacer layer formed on the half-metallic material layer, the spacer layer being nonmagnetic and conductive, and a free layer formed on the spacer layer, the free layer having a second magnetization that changes direction based on the spin-transfer effect when a write current passes through the magnetic element; a plurality of rows lines coupled to the plurality of magnetic cells; and a plurality of column lines coupled to the plurality of magnetic cells, the plurality of row lines and the plurality of column lines selecting a portion of the plurality of magnetic cells for reading and writing; wherein at least one magnetic element further includes; a second spacer layer formed on the free layer, the second spacer layer being nonmagnetic and conductive; a second half-metallic material layer formed on the second spacer layer; and a second pinned layer formed on the second half-metallic layer, the second pinned layer having a third magnetization that is pinned in a direction that is different from the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A magnetic memory device, comprising:
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a plurality of magnetic cells including a plurality of magnetic elements, at least one magnetic element including, a pinned layer and having a first magnetization that is pinned in a first direction, a half-metallic material layer formed on the pinned layer, a spacer layer formed on the half-metallic material layer, the spacer layer being nonmagnetic and conductive, and a free layer formed on the spacer layer, the free layer having a second magnetization that changes direction based on the spin-transfer effect when a write current passes through the magnetic element; a plurality of rows lines coupled to the plurality of magnetic cells; and a plurality of column lines coupled to the plurality of magnetic cells the plurality of row lines and the plurality of column lines selecting a portion of the plurality of magnetic cells for reading and writing; wherein at least one magnetic element further includes; a barrier layer formed on the free layer, the barrier layer an insulator and having a thickness that allows tunneling through the barrier layer; a second half-metallic material layer formed on the barrier layer; and a second pinned layer formed on the second half-metallic layer, the second pinned layer having a third magnetization that is pinned in a direction that is different from the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A magnetic element, comprising:
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a pinned layer and having a first magnetization that is pinned in a first direction; a half-metallic material layer formed on the pinned layer; a barrier layer formed on the half-metallic material layer, the barrier layer being an insulator and having a thickness that allows tunneling through the barrier layer; and a free layer formed on the barrier layer, the free layer having a second magnetization that changes direction based on the spin-transfer effect when a write current passes through the magnetic element. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63, 64, 65)
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62. A magnetic element, comprising:
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a pinned layer and having a first magnetization that is pinned in a first direction; a half-metallic material layer formed on the pinned layer; a barrier layer formed on the half-metallic material layer, the barrier layer being an insulator and having a thickness that allows tunneling through the barrier layer; and a free layer formed on the barrier layer, the free layer having a second magnetization that changes direction based on the spin-transfer effect when a write current passes through the magnetic element; wherein the half-metallic material layer is a discontinuous layer on the pinned layer.
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66. A magnetic element, comprising:
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a pinned layer and having a first magnetization that is pinned in a first direction; a half-metallic material layer formed on the pinned layer; a barrier layer formed on the half-metallic material layer, the barrier layer being an insulator and having a thickness that allows tunneling through the barrier layer; a free layer formed on the barrier layer, the free layer having a second magnetization that changes direction based on the spin-transfer effect when a write current passes through the magnetic element; a second barrier layer formed on the free layer, the second barrier layer an insulator and having a thickness that allows tunneling through the second barrier layer; a second half-metallic material layer formed on the second barrier layer; and a second pinned layer formed on the second half-metallic layer, the second pinned layer having a third magnetization that is pinned in a direction that is different from the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
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74. A magnetic element, comprising:
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a pinned layer and having a first magnetization that is pinned in a first direction; a half-metallic material layer formed on the pinned layer; a barrier layer formed on the half-metallic material layer, the barrier layer being an insulator and having a thickness that allows tunneling through the barrier layer; a free layer formed on the barrier layer, the free layer having a second magnetization that changes direction based on the spin-transfer effect when a write current passes through the magnetic element; a spacer layer formed on the free layer, the spacer layer being nonmagnetic and conductive; a second half-metallic material layer formed on the spacer layer; and a second pinned layer formed on the second half-metallic layer, the second pinned layer having a third magnetization that is pinned in a direction that is different from the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
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82. A magnetic memory device, comprising:
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a plurality of magnetic cells including a plurality of magnetic elements, at least one magnetic element including, a pinned layer and having a first magnetization that is pinned in a first direction, a half-metallic material layer formed on the pinned layer, a spacer layer formed on the half-metallic material layer, the spacer layer being nonmagnetic and conductive, and a free layer formed on the spacer layer, the free layer having a second magnetization that changes direction based on the spin-transfer effect when a write current passes through the magnetic element; a plurality of rows lines coupled to the plurality of magnetic cells; and a plurality of column lines coupled to the plurality of magnetic cells, the plurality of row lines and the plurality of column lines selecting a portion of the plurality of magnetic cells for reading and writing. - View Dependent Claims (83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 90, 91, 92)
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89. A magnetic memory device, comprising:
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a plurality of magnetic cells including a plurality of magnetic elements, at least one magnetic element including a pinned layer and having a first magnetization that is pinned in a first direction, a half-metallic material layer formed on the pinned layer, a spacer layer formed on the half-metallic material layer, the spacer layer being nonmagnetic and conductive, and a free layer formed on the spacer layer, the free layer having a second magnetization that changes direction based on the spin-transfer effect when a write current passes through the magnetic element; a plurality of rows lines coupled to the plurality of magnetic cells; and a plurality of column lines coupled to the plurality of magnetic cells, the plurality of row lines and the plurality of column lines selecting a portion of the plurality of magnetic cells for reading and writing; wherein at least one half-metallic material layer of at least one magnetic element is a discontinuous layer.
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93. A magnetic memory device, comprising:
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a plurality of magnetic cells including a plurality of magnetic elements, at least one magnetic element including, a pinned layer and having a first magnetization that is pinned in a first direction, a half-metallic material layer formed on the pinned layer, a spacer layer formed on the half-metallic material layer, the spacer layer being nonmagnetic and conductive, and a free layer formed on the spacer layer, the free layer having a second magnetization that changes direction based on the spin-transfer effect when a write current passes through the magnetic element; a plurality of rows lines coupled to the plurality of magnetic cells; a plurality of column lines coupled to the plurality of magnetic cells, the plurality of row lines and the plurality of column lines selecting a portion of the plurality of magnetic cells for reading and writing; wherein at least one magnetic element further includes; a second barrier layer formed on the free layer, the barrier layer being an insulator and having a thickness that allows tunneling through the barrier layer; a second half-metallic material layer formed on the second barrier layer; and a second pinned layer formed on the second half-metallic layer, the second pinned layer having a third magnetization that is pinned in a direction that is different from the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108)
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101. A magnetic memory device, comprising:
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a plurality of magnetic cells including a plurality of magnetic elements, at least one magnetic element including, a pinned layer and having a first magnetization that is pinned in a first direction, a half-metallic material layer formed on the pinned layer, a spacer layer formed on the half-metallic material layer, the spacer layer being nonmagnetic and conductive, and a free layer formed on the spacer layer, the free layer having a second magnetization that changes direction based on the spin-transfer effect when a write current passes through the magnetic element; a plurality of rows lines coupled to the plurality of magnetic cells; and a plurality of column lines coupled to the plurality of magnetic cells, the plurality of row lines and the plurality of column lines selecting a portion of the plurality of magnetic cells for reading and writing, wherein the at least one magnetic element further includes; a spacer layer formed on the free layer, the spacer layer being nonmagnetic and conductive; a second half-metallic material layer formed on the spacer layer; and a second pinned layer formed on the second half-metallic layer, the second pinned layer having a third magnetization that is pinned in a direction that is different from the first direction.
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Specification