Spin-transfer torque magnetic random access memory having magnetic tunnel junction with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy

• US 8,593,862 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2009
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avalanche Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avalanche Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Ranjan, Rajiv Yadav, Malmhall, Roger Klas
• Primary Examiner(s): BERNSTEIN, ALLISON
• Application Number:
  US12/641,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20100096716A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 257/421, 257/E29.323, 365/158, 365/171
• US Class Current: 365/158
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 25/00 Nanomagnetism, e.g. magnetoimpedance, anisotropic magnetoresistance, giant magnetoresistance or tunneling magnetoresistance
• 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 11/1675 Writing or programming circuits or methods
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 61/22 of the field-effect transistor [FET] type
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/10 Magnetoresistive devices

Abstract

A spin-torque transfer memory random access memory (STTMRAM) element includes a fixed layer formed on top of a substrate and a tunnel layer formed upon the fixed layer and a composite free layer formed upon the tunnel barrier layer and made of an iron platinum alloy with at least one of X or Y material, X being from a group consisting of: boron (B), phosphorous (P), carbon (C), and nitride (N) and Y being from a group consisting of: tantalum (Ta), titanium (Ti), niobium (Nb), zirconium (Zr), tungsten (W), silicon (Si), copper (Cu), silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), tin (Sn), lead (Pb), antimony (Sb), hafnium (Hf) and bismuth (Bi), molybdenum (Mo) or rhodium (Ru), the magnetization direction of each of the composite free layer and fixed layer being substantially perpendicular to the plane of the substrate.

Claims

1. A spin-torque transfer memory random access memory (STTMRAM) element comprising:

a fixed layer having a first magnetization that is substantially fixed in one direction and formed on top of a substrate;

a tunnel layer formed upon the fixed layer; and

a composite free layer having a second magnetization that is switchable in two directions and formed upon the tunnel layer and made of an iron platinum alloy including at least one of X material and at least one of Y material, wherein X comprises;

phosphorous (P), and nitrogen (N) and Y comprises;

silicon (Si), aluminum (Al), tin (Sn), lead (Pb), antimony (Sb), and bismuth (Bi), the magnetization direction of each of the composite free layer and fixed layer being substantially perpendicular to the plane of the substrate,

wherein during a write operation, a bidirectional electric current is applied across the STTMRAM element to switch the second magnetization between parallel and anti-parallel states relative to the first magnetization.

2. The STTMRAM, as recited in claim 1, further including one or more underlayers formed between the substrate and the fixed layer.

3. The STTMRAM, as recited in claim 2, wherein the one or more underlayers causes a crystalline growth of L10 of the fixed layer, the tunnel layer and the composite free layer.

4. The STTMRAM, as recited in claim 2, further including a bottom electrode (BE) formed between the substrate and the one or more underlayers.

5. The STTMRAM, as recited in claim 1, further including a cap layer formed on top of the composite free layer.

6. The STTMRAM, as recited in claim 5, further including a top electrode (TE) formed on the cap layer.

7. The STTMRAM, as recited in claim 1 wherein the fixed layer is a composite layer.

8. The STTMRAM, as recited in claim 7, wherein the composite fixed layer includes a enhanced spin-polarization interface layer (SPEL) formed on top of the fixed layer and below the tunnel layer.

9. The STTMRAM, as recited in claim 8, wherein the SPEL is made of a cobalt iron boron (CoFeB)-based alloy.

10. The STTMRAM, as recited in claim 8, wherein the SPEL is made of CoFe-based alloys.

11. The STTMRAM, as recited in claim 10, wherein the CoFe-based alloys are CoFeTa or CoFeZr.

12. A spin-torque transfer memory random access memory (STTMRAM) element comprising:

a composite fixed layer having a first magnetization that is substantially fixed in one direction, the composite fixed layer formed on top of a substrate;

a tunnel layer formed upon the composite fixed layer; and

a composite free layer having a second magnetization that is switchable, formed upon the tunnel layer and made of an enhanced spin-polarization interface layer (SPEL), a non-magnetic spacing layer and a sub-free layer, the SPEL being formed on top of the tunnel layer, the non-magnetic spacing layer formed on top of the SPEL and the sub-free layer formed on top of the non-magnetic spacing layer, the composite free layer having a second magnetization that is switchable in two directions and made of an iron platinum alloy including at least one of X material and at least one of Y material, wherein X comprises;

phosphorous (P), and nitrogen (N) and wherein Y comprises;

silicon (Si), aluminum (Al), tin (Sn), lead (Pb), antimony (Sb), and bismuth (Bi), the magnetization direction of each of the composite free layer and the composite fixed layer being substantially perpendicular to the plane of the substrate; and

a cap layer formed on top of the sub-free layer,

wherein during a write operation, a bidirectional electric current is applied across the STTMRAM element to switch the second magnetization between parallel and anti-parallel states relative to the first magnetization.

13. The spin-torque transfer memory random access memory (STTMRAM) element, as recited in claim 12, wherein the non-magnetic spacing layer is made of a ruthenium alloy (RuZ) where Z comprises:

chromium (Cr), molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), iridium (Ir), tantalum (Ta), or rhodium (Rh).

14. A spin-torque transfer memory random access memory (STTMRAM) element comprising:

a composite fixed layer having a first magnetization that is substantially fixed in one direction, the composite fixed layer formed on top of a substrate;

a tunnel layer formed upon the composite fixed layer; and

a composite free layer having a second magnetization that is switchable, and formed upon the tunnel layer and made of an enhanced spin-polarization interface layer (SPEL), and the composite free layer having a second magnetization that is switchable in two directions and made of an iron platinum alloy including at least one of X material and at least one of Y material, wherein X comprises;

phosphorous (P), and nitrogen (N) and wherein Y comprises;

silicon (Si), aluminum (Al), tin (Sn), lead (Pb), antimony (Sb), and bismuth (Bi), the magnetization direction of each of the composite free layer and the composite fixed layer being substantially perpendicular to the plane of the substrate; and

a cap layer formed on top of the composite free layer;

wherein during a write operation, a bidirectional electric current is applied across the STTMRAM element to switch the second magnetization between parallel and anti-parallel states relative to the first magnetization.

15. The STTMRAM, as recited in claim 14, further including one or more underlayers formed below the composite fixed layer.

16. The STTMRAM, as recited in claim 15, wherein the one or more underlayers causes a crystalline growth of L10 of the fixed layer, the tunnel layer and the composite free layer.

17. The STTMRAM, as recited in claim 15, further including a bottom electrode (BE) formed between the substrate and the one or more underlayers.

18. The STTMRAM, as recited in claim 14, further including a top electrode (TE) formed on the cap layer.