Spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10636466-B2
Application number	US-201916684633-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2019
Priority date	Jun 1, 2016
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

A spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect device includes: a spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect element including a magnetoresistance effect element part and a spin-orbit torque wiring; and a controller electrically connected to the spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect element. In a portion in which the magnetoresistance effect element part and the spin-orbit torque wiring are bonded, an STT inversion current flowing through the magnetoresistance effect element part and an SOT inversion current flowing through the spin-orbit torque wiring merge or are divided, and the controller is configured to be capable of performing control for applying the STT inversion current to the spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect element at the same time as an application of the SOT inversion current or a time application of the SOT inversion current.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect device comprising:
a spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect element including a magnetoresistance effect element part, which includes a first ferromagnetic metal layer configured for a magnetization direction to be fixed, a second ferromagnetic metal layer configured for a magnetization direction to be changed, and a nonmagnetic layer interposed between the first ferromagnetic metal layer and the second ferromagnetic metal layer, and a spin-orbit torque wiring extending in a direction intersecting a lamination direction of the magnetoresistance effect element part and bonded to the second ferromagnetic metal layer; and
a controller electrically connected to the magnetoresistance effect element part of the spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect element and the spin-orbit torque wiring,
wherein, in a portion in which the magnetoresistance effect element part of the spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect element and the spin-orbit torque wiring are bonded, an STT inversion current flowing through the magnetoresistance effect element part and an SOT inversion current flowing through the spin-orbit torque wiring merge or are divided,
wherein the controller is configured to be capable of performing control for applying the STT inversion current to the spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect element at the same time as an application of the SOT inversion current or at a time after an application of the SOT inversion current,
the magnetization direction of the first ferromagnetic metal layer is in an in-plane direction parallel to the first ferromagnetic metal layer or in a perpendicular direction vertical to the first ferromagnetic metal layer, and
the magnetization direction of the second ferromagnetic metal layer is in an in-plane direction parallel to the second ferromagnetic metal layer or in a perpendicular direction vertical to the second ferromagnetic metal layer.

2. The spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect device according to claim 1 , wherein the nonmagnetic layer is MgAl 2 O 4 .

3. The spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect device according to claim 1 , wherein the spin-orbit torque wiring contains a topological insulator selected from a group consisting of SnTe, Bi 15 Sb 0.5 Te 1.7 Se 1.3 , TlBiSe 2 , Bi 2 Te 3 , and (Bi 1-x Sb x ) 2 Te 3 .

4. The spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect device according to claim 1 , wherein the spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect device is configured that a current density of a current flowing through the spin-orbit torque wiring is less than 1×10 7 A/cm 2 .

5. The spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to be capable of performing control for stopping an application of the STT inversion current to the spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect element at a time after an application of the SOT inversion current.

6. The spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to be capable of performing control for stopping an application of the SOT inversion current at a time after an application of the STT inversion current to the spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect element or a time that is simultaneous with the application.

7. The spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect device according to claim 1 , wherein a time until stopping the application of the SOT inversion current and the STT inversion current after an application of the SOT inversion current is 10 nsec or less.

8. The spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect device according to claim 1 , wherein a direction of magnetization of the second ferromagnetic metal layer and a direction of spin supplied from the spin-orbit torque wiring to the second ferromagnetic metal layer intersect each other.

9. The spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect device according to claim 1 , wherein a current density of the STT inversion current applied by the controller is lower than a threshold inversion current density required for reversing the magnetization of the second ferromagnetic metal layer of the magnetoresistance effect element part.

10. The spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect device according to claim 1 , wherein a tail time until the applied SOT inversion current becomes zero is shorter than a tail time until the applied STT inversion current becomes zero.

11. A spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect device comprising:
a spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect element including a magnetoresistance effect element part, which includes a first ferromagnetic metal layer configured for a magnetization direction to be fixed, a second ferromagnetic metal layer configured for a magnetization direction to be changed, and a nonmagnetic layer interposed between the first ferromagnetic metal layer and the second ferromagnetic metal layer, and a spin-orbit torque wiring extending in a direction intersecting a lamination direction of the magnetoresistance effect element part and bonded to the second ferromagnetic metal layer; and
a controller electrically connected to the magnetoresistance effect element part of the spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect element and the spin-orbit torque wiring,
wherein, in a portion in which the magnetoresistance effect element part of the spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect element and the spin-orbit torque wiring are bonded, an STT inversion current flowing through the magnetoresistance effect element part and an SOT inversion current flowing through the spin-orbit torque wiring merge or are divided,
wherein the controller is configured to be capable of performing control for applying the STT inversion current to the spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect element at the same time as an application of the SOT inversion current or at a time after an application of the SOT inversion current,
the magnetization direction of the first ferromagnetic metal layer is in a perpendicular direction vertical to the first ferromagnetic metal layer,
the magnetization direction of the second ferromagnetic metal layer is in a perpendicular direction vertical to the second ferromagnetic metal layer, and
a thickness of the second ferromagnetic metal to be 2.5 nm or the less.

12. The spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect device according to claim 11 , wherein the nonmagnetic layer is MgAl 2 O 4 .

13. The spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect device according to claim 11 , wherein the spin-orbit torque wiring contains a topological insulator selected from a group consisting of SnTe, Bi 1.5 Sb 0.5 Te 1.7 Se 1.3 , TlBiSe 2 , Bi 2 Te 3 , and (Bi 1-x Sb x ) 2 Te 3 .

14. The spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect device according to claim 11 , wherein the spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect device is configured that a current density of a current flowing through the spin-orbit torque wiring is less than 1×10 7 A/cm 2 .

15. The spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect device according to claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to be capable of performing control for stopping an application of the STT inversion current to the spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect element at a time after an application of the SOT inversion current.

16. A spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect device comprising:
a spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect element including a magnetoresistance effect element par

Assignees

• Tdk Corp

Inventors

• Sasaki Tomoyuki
• Oikawa Tohru

Classifications

• G11C11/161 Primary

  details concerning the memory cell structure, e.g. the layers of the ferromagnetic memory cell · CPC title

• H01F10/329

  Spin-exchange coupled multilayers wherein the magnetisation of the free layer is switched by a spin-polarised current, e.g. spin torque effect · CPC title

• H01F10/3254

  the spacer being semiconducting or insulating, e.g. for spin tunnel junction [STJ] · CPC title

• H01F10/3286

  Spin-exchange coupled multilayers having at least one layer with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy · CPC title

• G11C11/1675

  Writing or programming circuits or methods · CPC title