Magnetic junctions having insertion layers and magnetic memories using the magnetic junctions

• US 9,130,155 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2013
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Chepulskyy, Roman, Tang, Xueti, Apalkov, Dmytro, Khvalkovskiy, Alexey Vasilyevitch, Nikitin, Vladimir, Krounbi, Mohamad Towfik
• Primary Examiner(s): BERNSTEIN, ALLISON
• Application Number:
  US14/048,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20140264671A1
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 365/158
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/16 using elements in which the storage effect is based on magnetic spin effect
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/161 details concerning the memory cell structure, e.g. the layers of the ferromagnetic memory cell
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/1659 Cell access
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/1675 Writing or programming circuits or methods
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/18 using Hall-effect devices
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/5607 using magnetic storage elements
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/01 Manufacture or treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/10 Magnetoresistive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/85 Magnetic active materials

Abstract

A method and system for providing a magnetic junction usable in a magnetic device are described. The magnetic junction includes a reference layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer and a free layer. The nonmagnetic spacer layer is between the reference layer and the free layer. The magnetic junction is configured such that the free layer is switchable between a plurality of stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction. A portion of the magnetic junction includes at least one magnetic substructure. The magnetic substructure includes at least one Fe layer and at least one nonmagnetic insertion layer. The at least one Fe layer shares at least one interface with the at least one nonmagnetic insertion layer. Each of the at least one nonmagnetic insertion layer consists of at least one of W, I, Hf, Bi, Zn, Mo, Ag, Cd, Os and In.

Claims

1. A magnetic junction for use in a magnetic device comprising:

a reference layer;

a nonmagnetic spacer layer; and

a free layer, the nonmagnetic spacer layer residing between the reference layer and the free layer, the magnetic junction being configured such that the free layer is switchable between a plurality of stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction; and

wherein a portion of the magnetic junction includes at least one magnetic substructure, the at least one magnetic substructure including at least one Fe layer and at least one nonmagnetic insertion layer, the at least one Fe layer sharing at least one interface with the at least one nonmagnetic insertion layer, each of the at least one nonmagnetic insertion layer consisting of at least one of W, I, Bi, Zn, Mo, Ag, Cd and In.

2. The magnetic junction of claim 1 wherein the portion of the magnetic junction including the at least one magnetic substructure is at least one of the free layer and the reference layer.

3. The magnetic junction of claim 2 wherein the at least one magnetic substructure includes a plurality of magnetic substructures.

4. The magnetic junction of claim 2 wherein the at least one Fe layer includes a first Fe layer and a second Fe, a nonmagnetic insertion layer of the at least one nonmagnetic insertion layer residing between the first Fe layer and the second Fe layer, the at least one interface including a first interface between the first Fe layer and the nonmagnetic insertion layer and a second interface between the second Fe layer and the nonmagnetic insertion layer, the first Fe layer being ferromagnetically coupled with the second Fe layer.

5. The magnetic junction of claim 2 wherein the at least one nonmagnetic insertion layer includes a first Fe layer and a second Fe, an Fe layer of the at least one Fe layer residing between the first nonmagnetic insertion layer and the second nonmagnetic insertion layer, the at least one interface including a first interface between the first nonmagnetic insertion layer and the Fe layer and a second interface between the second nonmagnetic insertion layer and the Fe layer.

6. The magnetic junction of claim 2 wherein the at least one of the reference layer and free layer includes a polarization enhancement layer, the at least one Fe layer being ferromagnetically coupled with the polarization enhancement layer.

7. The magnetic junction of claim 6 wherein the free layer include the at least one magnetic substructure and wherein the free layer includes an additional polarization enhancement layer, the at least one magnetic substructure being between the polarization enhancement layer and the additional polarization enhancement layer, the at least one Fe layer being ferromagnetically coupled with the additional polarization enhancement layer.

8. The magnetic junction of claim 7 wherein the additional polarization enhancement layer is thicker than the polarization enhancement layer.

9. The magnetic junction of claim 2 further comprising:

an additional reference layer; and

an additional nonmagnetic spacer layer, the additional nonmagnetic spacer layer being between the additional reference layer and the free layer, the free layer being between the additional nonmagnetic spacer layer and the nonmagnetic spacer layer.

10. The magnetic junction of claim 9 wherein the additional reference layer include at least one additional magnetic substructure, the at least one additional magnetic substructure including at least one additional Fe layer and at least one additional nonmagnetic insertion layer, the at least one additional Fe layer sharing at least one additional interface with the at least one additional nonmagnetic insertion layer, each of the at least one additional nonmagnetic insertion layer consisting of at least one of W, I, Hf, Bi, Zn, Mo, Ag, Cd, Os and In.

11. The magnetic junction of claim 2 further comprising:

a conductive capping layer.

12. The magnetic junction of claim 2 wherein the free layer includes the at least one magnetic substructure and wherein the free layer includes a plurality of magnetically soft layers and at least one hard magnetic layer, the at least one hard magnetic layer corresponding to the least one Fe layer, the at least one Fe layer being ferromagnetically coupled with the plurality of soft magnetic layers and having an out-of-plane demagnetization energy and a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy that exceeds the out-of-plane demagnetization energy.

13. The magnetic junction of claim 1 wherein the at least one magnetic substructure is adjacent to the free layer and is configured to exert a spin orbit torque on the free layer due to a current passing through the at least one magnetic substructure in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction between the at least one magnetic substructure and the free layer of the magnetic junction, the free layer being configured to be switchable using at least the SO torque.

14. The magnetic junction of claim 1 wherein the at least one magnetic substructure adjoins the free layer and is configured to exert a spin orbit torque on the reference layer due to a current passing through the at least one magnetic substructure in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction between the at least one magnetic substructure and the reference layer of the magnetic junction.

15. A magnetic memory comprising:

a plurality of magnetic junctions, each of the plurality of magnetic junctions including a free layer; and

at least one magnetic substructure adjacent to the plurality of magnetic junctions, each of the at least one magnetic substructure including at least one magnetic layer interleaved with at least one nonmagnetic insertion layer, each of the at least one nonmagnetic insertion layer consisting of at least one of W, I, Bi, Zn, Mo, Ag, Cd and In, the at least one magnetic substructure configured to exert a spin-orbit interaction (SO) torque on the free layer due to a current passing through the at least one magnetic substructure in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction between the at least one magnetic substructure and the free layer of a magnetic junction of the plurality of magnetic junctions, the free layer being configured to be switchable using at least the SO torque.

16. A magnetic memory comprising:

a plurality of magnetic junctions, each of the plurality of magnetic junctions including a free layer, a reference layer and a nonmagnetic spacer layer between the free layer and the reference layer; and

at least one magnetic substructure adjacent to the plurality of magnetic junctions, each of the at least one magnetic substructure including at least one magnetic layer interleaved with at least one nonmagnetic insertion layer, each of the at least one nonmagnetic insertion layer consisting of at least one of W, I, Bi, Zn, Mo, Ag, Cd and In, the at least one magnetic substructure configured to exert a spin-orbit interaction (SO) torque on the reference layer due to a current passing through the at least one magnetic substructure in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction between the at least one magnetic substructure and the reference layer of a magnetic junction of the plurality of magnetic junctions.

17. A magnetic memory comprising:

a plurality of magnetic storage cells, each of the plurality of magnetic storage cells including at least one magnetic junction, the at least one magnetic junction including a pinned layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, and a free layer, the nonmagnetic spacer layer residing between the pinned layer and the free layer, the magnetic junction being configured such that the free layer is switchable between a plurality of stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction, a portion of the magnetic junction including at least one magnetic substructure, the at least one magnetic substructure including at least one Fe layer and at least one nonmagnetic insertion layer, the at least one Fe layer sharing at least one interface with the at least one nonmagnetic insertion layer, each of the at least one nonmagnetic insertion layer consisting of at least one of W, I, Bi, Zn, Mo, Ag, Cd and In.

18. The magnetic memory of claim 17 wherein the portion of the magnetic junction including the at least one magnetic substructure is at least one of the free layer and the reference layer.

19. The magnetic memory of claim 18 wherein the at least one magnetic substructure includes a plurality of magnetic substructures.

20. The magnetic memory of claim 18 wherein the at least one Fe layer includes a first Fe layer and a second Fe, a nonmagnetic insertion layer of the at least one nonmagnetic insertion layer residing between the first Fe layer and the second Fe layer, the at least one interface including a first interface between the first Fe layer and the nonmagnetic insertion layer and a second interface between the second Fe layer and the nonmagnetic insertion layer, the first Fe layer being ferromagnetically coupled with the second Fe layer.

21. The magnetic memory of claim 18 wherein the at least one nonmagnetic insertion layer includes a first Fe layer and a second Fe, an Fe layer of the at least one Fe layer residing between the first nonmagnetic insertion layer and the second nonmagnetic insertion layer, the at least one interface including a first interface between the first nonmagnetic insertion layer and the Fe layer and a second interface between the second nonmagnetic insertion layer and the Fe layer.

22. The magnetic memory of claim 18 wherein the at least one of the reference layer and free layer includes a polarization enhancement layer, the at least one Fe layer being ferromagnetically coupled with the polarization enhancement layer.

23. The magnetic memory of claim 22 wherein the free layer include the at least one magnetic substructure and wherein the free layer includes an additional polarization enhancement layer, the at least one magnetic substructure being between the polarization enhancement layer and the additional polarization enhancement layer, the at least one Fe layer being ferromagnetically coupled with the additional polarization enhancement layer.

24. The magnetic memory of claim 23 wherein the additional polarization enhancement layer is thicker than the polarization enhancement layer.

25. The magnetic memory of claim 18 wherein each of the at least one magnetic junction further includes:

an additional reference layer; and

an additional nonmagnetic spacer layer, the additional nonmagnetic spacer layer being between the additional reference layer and the free layer, the free layer being between the additional nonmagnetic spacer layer and the nonmagnetic spacer layer.

26. The magnetic memory of claim 25 wherein the additional reference layer include at least one additional magnetic substructure, the at least one additional magnetic substructure including at least one additional Fe layer and at least one additional nonmagnetic insertion layer, the at least one additional Fe layer sharing at least one additional interface with the at least one additional nonmagnetic insertion layer, each of the at least one additional nonmagnetic insertion layer consisting of at least one of W, I, Hf, Bi, Zn, Mo, Ag, Cd, Os and In.

27. The magnetic memory of claim 18 wherein the at least one magnetic junction further includes:

a conductive capping layer.

28. The magnetic memory of claim 18 wherein the free layer includes the at least one magnetic substructure and wherein the free layer includes a plurality of magnetically soft layers and at least one hard magnetic layer, the at least one hard magnetic layer corresponding to the least one Fe layer, the at least one Fe layer being ferromagnetically coupled with the plurality of soft magnetic layers and having an out-of-plane demagnetization energy and a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy that exceeds the out-of-plane demagnetization energy.

29. The magnetic memory of claim 17 wherein the at least one magnetic substructure is adjacent to the free layer and is configured to exert a spin orbit torque on the free layer due to a current passing through the at least one magnetic substructure in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction between the at least one magnetic substructure and the free layer of the magnetic junction, the free layer being configured to be switchable using at least the SO torque.

30. The magnetic memory of claim 17 wherein the at least one magnetic substructure adjoins the free layer and is configured to exert a spin orbit torque on the reference layer due to a current passing through the at least one magnetic substructure in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction between the at least one magnetic substructure and the reference layer of the magnetic junction.

31. A method for providing magnetic junction for use in a magnetic device comprising:

providing a reference layer;

providing a nonmagnetic spacer layer;

providing a free layer, the nonmagnetic spacer layer residing between the reference layer and the free layer, the magnetic junction being configured such that the free layer is switchable between a plurality of stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction; and

providing at least one magnetic substructure, a portion of the magnetic junction includes the at least one magnetic substructure, the at least one magnetic substructure including at least one Fe layer and at least one nonmagnetic insertion layer, the at least one Fe layer sharing at least one interface with the at least one nonmagnetic insertion layer, each of the at least one nonmagnetic insertion layer consisting of at least one of W, I, Bi, Zn, Mo, Ag, Cd and In.