Precessional spin current structure for magnetic random access memory with novel capping materials

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11283010-B2
Application number	US-201816124655-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 7, 2018
Priority date	Sep 7, 2018
Publication date	Mar 22, 2022
Grant date	Mar 22, 2022

Abstract

A magnetic memory element having a magnetic free layer and a magnetic reference layer with a non-magnetic barrier layer between the magnetic reference layer and the magnetic free layer. A spin current layer (which may be a precessional spin current layer) is located adjacent to the magnetic free layer and is separated from the magnetic free layer by a non-magnetic coupling layer. A material layer adjacent to and in contact with the spin current layer, has a material composition and thickness that are chosen to provide a desired effective magnetization in the spin current layer. The material layer, which may be a capping layer or a seed layer, can be constructed of a material other than tantalum which may include one or more of Zr, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Hf, W, Ir, Pt and/or alloys and/or nitrides of these elements.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A magnetic memory element for use in a magnetic memory array, the magnetic memory element comprising:
a magnetic tunnel junction structure including a magnetic free layer, a magnetic reference layer and a non-magnetic barrier layer located between the magnetic free layer and the magnetic reference layer;
a precessional magnetic spin current layer located adjacent to the magnetic free layer;
a coupling layer located between the precessional magnetic spin current layer and the magnetic free layer; and
a material layer in contact with the precessional magnetic spin current layer, the material layer comprising one or more of Zr, Mo, Rh, Pd, Hf, W, Ir, Pt and/or alloys and/or nitrides of these elements and containing no Ta;
wherein the coupling layer comprises Magnesium Oxide.

2. The magnetic memory element as in claim 1 , wherein the magnetic free layer and the magnetic reference layer each have a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and the precessional magnetic spin current layer has a substantially parallel magnetic anisotropy.

3. The magnetic memory element as in claim 1 , wherein the coupling layer has a thickness of 0.3-1.5 nm.

4. A magnetic memory element for use in a magnetic memory array, the magnetic memory element comprising:
a magnetic reference layer;
a magnetic free layer;
a non-magnetic barrier layer located between the magnetic reference layer and the magnetic free layer;
a precessional magnetic spin current layer;
a coupling layer located between the precessional magnetic spin current layer and the magnetic free layer; and
a capping layer formed over and contacting the precessional magnetic spin current layer, the capping layer comprising one or more of Zr, Mo, Rh, Pd, Hf, W, Ir, Pt and/or alloys and/or nitrides of these elements and containing no Ta;
wherein the coupling layer comprises Magnesium Oxide.

5. The magnetic memory element as in claim 4 , wherein the magnetic reference layer and the magnetic free layer each have a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and the precessional magnetic spin current layer has a substantially parallel magnetic anisotropy.

6. The magnetic memory element as in claim 4 , wherein the coupling layer has a thickness of 0.3-1.5 nm.

7. A magnetic memory element for use in a magnetic memory array, the magnetic memory element comprising:
a seed layer;
a precessional magnetic spin current layer formed on and in contact with the seed layer;
a magnetic free layer;
a non-magnetic coupling layer located between the precessional magnetic spin current layer and the magnetic free layer;
a magnetic reference layer; and
a non-magnetic barrier layer located between the magnetic reference layer and the magnetic free layer;
wherein the seed layer comprises one or more of Zr, Rh, Pd, Hf, Ir, Pt and/or alloys and/or nitrides of these elements and contains no Ta;
wherein the coupling layer comprises Magnesium Oxide.

8. The magnetic memory element as in claim 7 , wherein the magnetic free layer and magnetic reference layer each have a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and the precessional magnetic spin current layer has a magnetic anisotropy with a primary component in a direction parallel a major surface of the magnetic free layer with the magnetic spin current layer.

9. The magnetic memory element as in claim 7 , wherein the coupling layer has a thickness of 0.3-1.5 nm.

Assignees

• Integrated Silicon Solution Cayman Inc

Inventors

• Vasquez Jorge
• KARDASZ Bartlomiej Adam
• Chiu Cheng Wei
• Pinarbasi Mustafa

Classifications

• H10N50/85 Primary

  Materials of the active region · 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

• G11C11/161 Primary

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

• H01F10/3254

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

• H01L43/08

  Electricity · mapped topic