Tunneling magnetoresistive random access memory with a multilayer fixed layer

• US 6,972,992 B1
• Filed: 12/02/2004
• Issued: 12/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Nagase, Toshihiko, Fukuzumi, Yoshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Andrew Q.
• Application Number:
  US11/000,995
• Time in Patent Office: 369 Days
• Field of Search: 365/173, 365/171, 365/158
• US Class Current: 365/173
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 25/00 Nanomagnetism, e.g. magnetoimpedance, anisotropic magnetoresistance, giant magnetoresistance or tunneling magnetoresistance
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/15 using multiple magnetic layers G11C11/155 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 10/3272 by use of anti-parallel coupled [APC] ferromagnetic layers, e.g. artificial ferrimagnets [AFI], artificial [AAF] or synthetic [SAF] anti-ferromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/10 Magnetoresistive devices

Abstract

A magnetic random access memory includes a magnetoresistive element which has a recording layer, a fixed layer, and a tunnel barrier layer arranged between the recording layer and the fixed layer, the fixed layer comprising an anti-ferromagnetic layer, a first ferromagnetic layer which is in contact with the anti-ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer which is magnetically coupled with the first ferromagnetic layer by first magnetic coupling, a third ferromagnetic layer which is magnetically coupled with the second ferromagnetic layer by second magnetic coupling, a first nonmagnetic layer which is formed between the first and second ferromagnetic layers, and a second nonmagnetic layer which is formed between the second and third ferromagnetic layers and has a thickness different from a thickness of the first nonmagnetic layer.

Claims

1. A magnetic random access memory comprising a magnetoresistive element which has a recording layer, a fixed layer, and a tunnel barrier layer arranged between the recording layer and the fixed layer,

the fixed layer comprising

an anti-ferromagnetic layer,

a first ferromagnetic layer which is in contact with the anti-ferromagnetic layer,

a second ferromagnetic layer which is magnetically coupled with the first ferromagnetic layer by first magnetic coupling,

a third ferromagnetic layer which is magnetically coupled with the second ferromagnetic layer by second magnetic coupling,

a first nonmagnetic layer which is formed between the first and second ferromagnetic layers, and

a second nonmagnetic layer which is formed between the second and third ferromagnetic layers and has a thickness different from a thickness of the first nonmagnetic layer.

2. The memory according to claim 1, wherein the first nonmagnetic layer contains Mn.

3. The memory according to claim 1, wherein the first nonmagnetic layer contains Mn at 2% to 10%.

4. The memory according to claim 1, wherein the second nonmagnetic layer contains Mn.

5. The memory according to claim 1, wherein the second nonmagnetic layer contains Mn at not more than 1%.

6. The memory according to claim 1, wherein the first nonmagnetic layer and the second nonmagnetic layer are layers containing one of Ru, Cu, Ir, Pt, Pd, Rh, Re, Os, V, Cr, Nb, Mo, Ta, and W.

7. The memory according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the first nonmagnetic layer is larger than the thickness of the second nonmagnetic layer.

8. The memory according to claim 1, wherein an interlayer coupling energy of the second magnetic coupling is larger than an interlayer coupling energy of the first magnetic coupling.

9. The memory according to claim 1, wherein the first magnetic coupling is ferromagnetic coupling and the second magnetic coupling is anti-ferromagnetic coupling.

10. The memory according to claim 9, wherein

the thickness of the first nonmagnetic layer is 1.2 to 1.7 nm, and

the thickness of the second nonmagnetic layer is 0.6 to 1.0 nm.

11. The memory according to claim 9, wherein a total thickness of the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer substantially equals a thickness of the third ferromagnetic layer.

12. The memory according to claim 11, wherein thicknesses of the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer substantially equal each other.

13. The memory according to claim 1, wherein the first magnetic coupling is anti-ferromagnetic coupling and the second magnetic coupling is ferromagnetic coupling.

14. The memory according to claim 13, wherein

the thickness of the first nonmagnetic layer is 1.9 to 2.3 nm, and

the thickness of the second nonmagnetic layer is 1.2 to 1.7 nm.

15. The memory according to claim 13, wherein a thickness of the first ferromagnetic layer substantially equals a total thickness of the second ferromagnetic layer and the third ferromagnetic layer.

16. The memory according to claim 15, wherein thicknesses of the second ferromagnetic layer and the third ferromagnetic layer substantially equal each other.

17. The memory according to claim 1, wherein the first magnetic coupling is anti-ferromagnetic coupling and the second magnetic coupling is anti-ferromagnetic coupling.

18. The memory according to claim 17, wherein

the thickness of the first nonmagnetic layer is 1.9 to 2.3 nm, and

the thickness of the second nonmagnetic layer is 0.6 to 1.0 nm.

19. The memory according to claim 17, wherein a total thickness of the first ferromagnetic layer and the third ferromagnetic layer substantially equals a thickness of the second ferromagnetic layer.

20. The memory according to claim 19, wherein thicknesses of the first ferromagnetic layer and the third ferromagnetic layer substantially equal each other.