Current driven switching of magnetic storage cells utilizing spin transfer and magnetic memories using such cells

• US 7,272,034 B1
• Filed: 08/31/2005
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Semiconductor Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Grandis, Inc. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Chen, Eugene Youjun, Huai, Yiming
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; Hoai V.
• Application Number:
  US11/217,258
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 365/158, 365/207, 365/209, 365/210
• US Class Current: 365/158
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/16 using elements in which the storage effect is based on magnetic spin effect

Abstract

A method and system for providing a magnetic memory is described. The method and system include providing a plurality of magnetic storage cells. Each of the plurality of magnetic storage cells includes at least one magnetic element and a plurality of selection transistors. The at least one magnetic element is capable of being programmed using spin transfer induced switching by a write current driven through the at least one magnetic element. The at least one selection transistor is configured to allow the magnetic element to be alternately selected for writing and reading. Architectures for reading and writing to the magnetic storage cells are also described.

Claims

1. A magnetic memory comprising:

a plurality of magnetic storage cells, each of the plurality of magnetic storage cells including at least one magnetic element, at least one dummy resistor, and at least one selection transistor including at least one source and at least one drain, the at least one magnetic element capable of being programmed using spin transfer induced switching by a write current driven through the at least one magnetic element, the at least one selection transistor configured to allow the at least one magnetic element to be alternately selected for writing and reading, the at least one dummy resistor being coupled the at least one source or the at least one drain and the at least one magnetic element being coupled with another of the at least one source or the at least one drain.

2. A magnetic memory comprising:

a plurality of magnetic storage cells, each of the plurality of magnetic storage cells including at least one magnetic element and at least one selection transistor, the at least one magnetic element capable of being programmed using spin transfer induced switching by a write current driven through the at least one magnetic element, the at least one selection transistor configured to allow the at least one magnetic element to be alternately selected for writing and reading, the at least one selection transistor including a read selection transistor and a write selection transistor, the at least one magnetic element includes a single magnetic element having an end, the write selection transistor and the read selection transistor being coupled with the end of the single magnetic element to selectively allow the write current and a read current to flow through the single magnetic element;

wherein each of the plurality of magnetic storage cells further includes a dummy resistor, wherein the write selection transistor includes a source and a drain, the dummy resistor being coupled with the source or the drain and the magnetic element being coupled with another of the source or the drain.

3. The magnetic memory of claim 2 further comprising:

at least one word line selector coupled with the read select transistor and the write selection transistor of each of the plurality of magnetic storage cells, the at least one word line selector for selectively activating the read select transistor or the write selection transistor for each of the plurality of magnetic memory cells.

4. The magnetic memory of claim 3 further comprising:

a plurality of bit lines for carrying the write current or the read current

a plurality of bit line selectors coupled with the bit lines, the plurality of bit line selectors configured to activate a portion of the plurality of bit line to provide the write current in a desired direction to each of the plurality of magnetic storage cells.

5. The magnetic memory of claim 3 further comprising:

a plurality of reference cells;

at least one differential sensor coupled with the read selection transistor of each of the plurality of magnetic storage cells and the plurality of reference cells; and

at least one comparator coupled with the at least one differential sensor.

6. The magnetic memory of claim 5 wherein each of the at least one differential sensor includes at least one differential current sensor.

7. A magnetic memory comprising:

a plurality of magnetic storage cells, each of the plurality of magnetic storage cells including at least one magnetic element and at least one selection transistor, the at least one magnetic element capable of being programmed using spin transfer induced switching by a write current driven through the at least one magnetic element, the at least one selection transistor configured to allow the at least one magnetic element to be alternately selected for writing and reading and for ensuring that the write current is driven through the at least one magnetic element during the writing;

wherein the at least one selection transistor includes a read selection transistor and a write selection transistor and wherein the at least one magnetic element includes a single magnetic element having an end, the write selection transistor and the read selection transistor being coupled with the end of the single magnetic element to selectively allow the write current and a read current to flow through the single magnetic element;

wherein the write selection transistor has a write selection transistor drain and the read selection transistor has a read selection transistor drain, the write selection transistor drain and the read selection transistor drain being coupled with the end of the magnetic element;

wherein each of the plurality of magnetic storage cells further includes a dummy resistor, wherein the write selection transistor includes a source and a drain, the dummy resistor being coupled with one of the source or the drain and the magnetic element being coupled with another of the source or the drain.

8. The magnetic memory of claim 7 wherein the at least one magnetic element includes a first magnetic element and a second magnetic element, the at least one selection transistor including a write selection transistor including a source, a drain, and a gate, the source coupled with the first magnetic element and the drain coupled with the second magnetic element.

9. The magnetic memory of claim 8 further comprising:

a first read selection transistor and a second read selection transistor for a portion of the plurality of magnetic storage cells, the first read selection transistor being coupled with the first magnetic element and the source such that a read current flows through the first magnetic element, the second read selection transistor being coupled with the second magnetic element and the drain such that a read current flows through the second magnetic element.

10. The magnetic memory of claim 8 wherein each of the plurality of magnetic storage cells further includes:

a first read selection transistor and a second read selection transistor, the first read selection transistor being coupled with the first magnetic element and the source such that a read current flows through the first magnetic element and the first read selection transistor, the second read selection transistor being coupled with the second magnetic element and the drain such that a read current flows through the second magnetic element and the second read selection transistor.

11. The magnetic memory of claim 10 further comprising:

at least one differential sensor coupled with the first read selection transistor and the second read selection transistor, and the plurality of reference cells; and

at least one comparator coupled with the at least one differential sensor.

12. The magnetic memory of claim 11 wherein each of the at least one differential sensor includes at least one differential current sensor.

13. The magnetic memory of claim 12 wherein each of the at least one differential current sensor includes a plurality of current sources corresponding to the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element.

14. The magnetic memory of claim 10 further comprising:

a word line selector coupled with the write selection transistor, the first read selection transistor and the second read selection transistor, the word line selector activating the write selection transistor for a write operation and activating the first read selection transistor and the second read selection transistor for a read operation.

15. The magnetic memory of claim 14 further comprising:

a plurality of bit lines for carrying the write current or the read current

a plurality of bit line selectors coupled with the bit lines, the plurality of bit line selectors configured to activate a portion of the plurality of bit line to provide the write current in a desired direction to each of the plurality of magnetic storage cells.

16. The magnetic memory of claim 8 further comprising:

error correction circuitry coupled with the plurality of magnetic storage cells.

17. The magnetic memory of claim 16 wherein the error correction circuitry is configured to perform self referencing.

18. The magnetic memory of claim 16 wherein the error correction circuitry includes checker bits.

19. The magnetic memory of claim 8 wherein the write transistor is configured such that the write current is substantially a maximum allowable current for the write transistor regardless of a state of the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element being written.

20. The magnetic memory of claim 19 wherein the write selection transistor is configured to maintain a maximum rated gate-source voltage and a drain-source voltage that is not less than a gate-source voltage minus a transistor threshold voltage.

21. The magnetic memory of claim 19 further comprising:

at least one of at least one charge pump and at least one voltage splitter coupled with the write selection transistor and one of the first and the second magnetic element, thereby providing the at least one positive voltage higher than a supply voltage at a particular portion of the write selection transistor and the one of the first and the second magnetic element.

22. The magnetic memory of claim 19 further comprising:

at least one of at least one charge pumps and at least one voltage splitter coupled with the write selection transistor and one of the first and the second magnetic element, thereby providing at least one negative voltage lower than ground voltage.

23. The magnetic memory of claim 7 further comprising:

at least one word line selector coupled with the read select transistor and the at least one write selection transistor of each of the plurality of magnetic storage cells, the word line selector for selectively activating the read select transistor or the write selection transistor for each of the plurality of magnetic memory cells.

24. The magnetic memory of claim 23 further comprising:

a plurality of bit lines for carrying the write current or the read current;

at least one bit line selector coupled with the bit lines, the at least one bit line selector configured to activate a portion of the plurality of bit line to provide the write current in a desired direction to each of the plurality of magnetic storage cells;

a plurality of source lines coupled with the plurality of magnetic storage cells;

at least one source line selector coupled with the plurality of source lines and configured to selectively activate a portion of the plurality of source lines.

25. The magnetic memory of claim 23 further comprising:

a plurality of reference cells;

at least one differential sensor coupled with the read selection transistor of each of the plurality of magnetic storage cells, and the plurality of reference cells; and

at least one comparator coupled with the at least one differential sensor.

26. The magnetic memory of claim 25 wherein each of the at least one differential sensor includes at least one differential current sensor.

27. The magnetic memory of claim 7 wherein the read transistor is coupled with ground.

28. The magnetic memory of claim 7 further comprising:

error correction circuitry coupled with the plurality of magnetic storage cells.

29. The magnetic memory of claim 28 wherein the error correction circuitry includes checker bits.

30. The magnetic memory of claim 28 wherein the error correction circuitry is configured to perform self referencing.

31. The magnetic memory of claim 7 wherein the write transistor is configured such that the write current is substantially a maximum allowable current for the transistor regardless of a state of the at least one magnetic element being written.

32. The magnetic memory of claim 31 wherein the write selection transistor is configured to maintain a maximum rated gate-source voltage and a drain-source voltage that is not less than a gate-source voltage minus a transistor threshold voltage.

33. The magnetic memory of claim 31 further comprising:

at least one of at least one charge pump and at least one voltage splitter coupled with the write selection transistor and the single magnetic element, thereby providing at least one positive voltage higher than a supply voltage at a particular portion of the write selection transistor and the single magnetic element.

34. The magnetic memory of claim 31 further comprising:

at least one of at least one charge pump and at least one voltage splitter coupled with the write selection transistor and the single magnetic element, thereby providing at least one negative voltage lower than ground voltage.

35. The magnetic memory of claim 7 wherein the magnetic element has a lateral dimension of not more than one hundred sixty nanometers.

36. The magnetic memory of claim 7 wherein each of the plurality of magnetic storage cells has an area and wherein each of the at least one magnetic element has a lateral dimension, the area being not more than sixteen times the square of the lateral dimension.

37. The magnetic memory of claim 7 wherein each of the plurality of magnetic storage cells is configured such that the write current is a symmetric write current.