Spin logic with magnetic insulators switched by spin orbit coupling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10608167-B2
Application number	US-201515751102-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2015
Priority date	Sep 10, 2015
Publication date	Mar 31, 2020
Grant date	Mar 31, 2020

Abstract

Described is an apparatus which comprises: a first non-magnetic conductor; a first spin orbit coupling (SOC) layer coupled to the first non-magnetic conductor; a first ferromagnet (FM) coupled to the SOC layer; a second FM; and an insulating FM sandwiched between the first and second FMs.

First claim

We claim:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a conductor comprising a non-magnetic material;
a first layer comprising spin orbit (SOC) material, wherein the first layer is coupled to the conductor;
a first magnet coupled to the first layer;
a second magnet; and
a second layer comprising a magnetic insulative material, wherein the second layer is between the first and second magnets such that magnetic insulative material is in direct contact with the first and second magnets;

wherein the first layer comprises:
a third layer coupled to the first magnet, wherein the first layer includes one or more of: Bi and Ag; Bi and Cu; or Pb and Ag; and
a fourth layer coupled to the third layer and another non-magnetic metal, wherein the fourth layer includes one of: Ag, Cu, or Au.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second magnets includes one or more of: a Heusler alloy, Co, Fe, Ge, Ga, or a combination of them.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic insulative material comprises one of: Y, Fe, Ni, Tb, or Cr.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first layer includes one or more of: β-Ta, β-W, W, Pt, Cu doped with Iridium, Cu doped with Bismuth, or Cu doped an element of 3d, 4d, 5d, 4f, or 5f of periodic table groups.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the conductor is a first conductor, wherein the apparatus comprises a second conductor including a non-magnetic material, wherein the second conductor is coupled to the first layer, and wherein the second conductor is coupled to ground.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 comprises a third conductor which includes a non-magnetic material, wherein the third conductor is coupled to a portion of the second magnet and to a power supply.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 comprises:
a fifth layer comprising SOC material;
a fourth conductor including a non-magnetic material, wherein the fourth conductor is coupled to a portion of the second magnet and to the fifth layer; and
a fifth conductor including a non-magnetic material, the fifth conductor is coupled to a portion of the fifth layer and to ground.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first, second, third, fourth, or fifth conductors include Cu.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 comprises an interconnect, which includes a non-magnetic material, wherein the interconnect is coupled to the second magnet at one end and coupled to a ground node at another end.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 comprises:
a first stack including an insulator, a magnet with fixed magnetization, and a conductor with a non-magnetic material, wherein the conductor is coupled to a positive power supply; and
a second stack including an insulator, a magnet with fixed magnetization, and a conductor with non-magnetic material, wherein the conductor is coupled to a negative power supply,
wherein the first and second stacks are separated by a distance and coupled to portions of the second magnet.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the insulators of the first and second stacks comprise MgO.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second magnets comprise magnets with free or unfixed magnetizations.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first layer is to convert charge current to a spin current which is to switch the first magnet.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first layer is to exhibit spin Hall effect when a charge current is received from the first conductor.

15. A system comprising:
a memory;
a processor coupled to the memory, the processor having an apparatus which comprises:
a first conductor comprising a non-magnetic material;
a first layer comprising spin orbit (SOC) material, wherein the first layer is coupled to the first conductor;
a first magnet coupled to the first layer;
a second magnet; and
a second layer comprising a magnetic insulative material, wherein the second layer is between the first and second magnets such that magnetic insulative material is in direct contact with the first and second magnets;
a second conductor including a non-magnetic material, wherein the second conductor is coupled to the first layer, wherein the second conductor is coupled to a ground node;
a third conductor which includes a non-magnetic material, wherein the third conductor is coupled to a portion of the second magnet and to a power supply node;
a fifth layer comprising SOC material;
a fourth conductor including a non-magnetic material, wherein the fourth conductor is coupled to a portion of the second magnet and to the fifth layer; and
a fifth conductor including a non-magnetic material, the fifth conductor is coupled to a portion of the fifth layer and to ground; and

a wireless interface to allow the processor to communicate with another device.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the apparatus is cascadable with another apparatus.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the apparatus is a majority gate, or a minority gate.

18. A method comprising:
transmitting a first charge current through a first non-magnetic conductor;
receiving the first charge current by a first spin orbit coupling (SOC) layer, wherein the first SOC layer is to convert the first charge current to a first spin current;
switching a first ferromagnet (FM) by the first spin current;
switching an insulating FM coupled to the first FM;
switching a second FM by the first spin current, wherein the insulating FM is directly coupled to the first and second FMs;
receiving the first spin current via the second FM;
providing the received first spin current to a second SOC layer; and
converting the received first spin current to a second charge current by the second SOC layer.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Nikonov Dmitri E
• Manipatruni Sasikanth
• Chaudhry Anurag
• Young Ian A

Classifications

• H03K19/18 Primary

  using galvano-magnetic devices, e.g. Hall-effect devices · CPC title

• H01L43/04 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L43/10

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L43/065

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L43/08

  Electricity · mapped topic