Magnetic memory bits with perpendicular magnetization switched by current-induced spin-orbit torques

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9343658-B2
Application number	US-201414528732-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2014
Priority date	Oct 30, 2013
Publication date	May 17, 2016
Grant date	May 17, 2016

Abstract

A basic Spin-Orbit-Torque (SOT) structure with lateral structural asymmetry is provided that produces a new spin-orbit torque, resulting in zero-field current-induced switching of perpendicular magnetization. More complex structures can also be produced incorporating the basic structure of a ferromagnetic layer with a heavy non-magnetic metal layer having strong spin-orbit coupling on one side, and an insulator layer on the other side with a structural mirror asymmetry along the in-plane direction. The lateral structural asymmetry and new spin-orbit torque, in effect, replaces the role of the external in-plane magnetic field. The direction of switching is determined by the combination of the direction of applied current and the direction of symmetry breaking in the device.

First claim

What is clamed is:

1. A magnetic structure with perpendicular anisotropy, comprising:
(a) a non-magnetic conductive layer of one or more layers of alloys of high-spin-orbit-coupling materials selected from the group BiSe, BiTe, BiSbSe and BiSbTe;
(b) at least one ferromagnetic free layer having magnetization with two stable states perpendicular to a layer plane coupled to the non-magnetic layer; and
(c) an insulator layer with lateral structural asymmetry coupled to the ferromagnetic free layer;
(d) wherein the perpendicular magnetization is switchable from a first side to a second side with an in plane current in the non-magnetic layer conductive, without the application of an external magnetic field.

2. The structure of claim 1 , wherein said ferromagnetic free layer comprises at least one layer of material selected of the group of materials consisting of Fe, CoFe, CoFeB, TbFeCo and GdFeCo.

3. The structure of claim 1 , wherein said ferromagnetic free layer comprises a multilayer containing two or more of the elements Pd, Pt, Co, Fe, Ta, Hf, CoFe, Ru and CoFeB.

4. The structure of claim 1 , wherein said insulator layer comprises TaO x , or MgO.

5. The structure of claim 1 , further comprising:
a dielectric tunnel barrier layer; and
a ferromagnetic fixed layer disposed over the dielectric tunnel barrier layer, the dielectric tunnel barrier layer separating the ferromagnetic fixed layer from the ferromagnetic free layer.

6. The structure of claim 5 , wherein said ferromagnetic fixed layer comprises at least one layer of material selected of the group of materials consisting of Fe, Pt, Pd, Co, Ta, Hf, Ru, CoFe, CoFeB, TbFeCo and GdFeCo.

7. The structure of claim 5 , wherein said ferromagnetic fixed layer further comprises a capped layer with a material selected of the group of materials consisting of Ta, Hf, Pt, Pd, Gd and Ru.

8. The structure of claim 5 , wherein said dielectric tunnel barrier layer comprises at least one layer of MgO or TaO x .

9. A magnetic memory structure with perpendicular anisotropy, comprising:
(a) a bottom terminal of a non-magnetic conductive layer;
(b) at least one free ferromagnetic layer having magnetization with two stable states perpendicular to a layer plane coupled to the non-magnetic conductive layer;
(c) an insulator layer with lateral structural asymmetry over the ferromagnetic free layer; and
(d) a fixed ferromagnetic layer joined to the insulator layer, the fixed layer comprising a synthetic anti-ferromagnetic film of a CoFe/Ru/CoFeB tri-layer, where the Ru thickness is chosen to provide anti-ferromagnetic interlayer exchange coupling; and
(e) a top terminal coupled to the fixed ferromagnetic layer;
(f) wherein the perpendicular magnetization is switchable from a first side to a second side with an in-plane current in the non-magnetic metal layer; and
(g) wherein the direction of switching is determined by the combination of the direction of an applied current and the direction of symmetry breaking of the lateral structural symmetry of the insulator layer.

10. The structure of claim 9 , wherein said non-magnetic conductive layer comprises one or more layers of metals selected from the group of metals consisting of Ta, Hf, Gd, W, Mo, Bi, Te, Sb, Pt and Pd and their alloys.

11. The structure of claim 9 , wherein the fixed layer is capped with a material selected from the group of materials consisting of Ta, Hf, Pt, Pd, Gd and Ru.

12. The structure of claim 9 , wherein said dielectric tunnel barrier layer comprises at least one layer of MgO or TaO x .

13. The structure of claim 9 , further comprising an electrode coupled to the fixed layer, wherein application of a voltage across the dielectric layer assists the magnetization switching by reducing free layer coercivity during writing.

14. The structure of claim 9 , further comprising an electrode coupled to the fixed layer, wherein application of a voltage across the dielectric layer assists the magnetization reading by stabilizing the bit during reading by increasing free layer coercivity using (VCMA).

15. The structure of claim 9 , wherein said ferromagnetic fixed layer comprises at least one layer of material selected of the group of materials consisting of Fe, Pt, Pd, Co, Ta, Hf, Ru, CoFe, CoFeB, TbFeCo and GdFeCo.

16. A method for switching perpendicular magnetization of a magnetic device having a ferromagnetic layer without the application of an external magnetic field, comprising:
(a) providing a heterostructure of a ferromagnetic layer with heavy non-magnetic metal layer selected from the group BiSi, BiTe, BiSbSe, and BiSbTe on one side and an insulator on the other side, having two stable states that are perpendicular to a structure plane;
(b) creating a lateral in-plane asymmetry in the insulator layer;
(c) applying a current to the non-magnetic metal layer to induce spin orbital torque; and
(d) switching a direction of perpendicular magnetization by changing the direction of the applied current.

17. A magnetic structure with perpendicular anisotropy, comprising:
(a) a non-magnetic conductive layer;
(b) at least one ferromagnetic free layer having magnetization with two stable states perpendicular to a layer plane coupled to the non-magnetic layer; and
(c) an insulator layer coupled to the ferromagnetic layer;
(d) wherein at least one of the layers chosen among the group of the non-magnetic layer, the ferromagnetic free layer, and the insulator layer, has an asymmetric structure along an in-plane direction of the device, and
(e) wherein the perpendicular magnetization is switchable from a first side to a second side with an in plane current in the non-magnetic layer without the application of an external magnetic field; and
(f) wherein said in-plane structural asymmetry is created by varying the concentration of a particular element at an interface between layers along an in-plane direction of the device.

18. The structure of claim 17 , wherein said in-plane structural asymmetry is created by varying the thickness of at least one of the layers along an in-plane direction of the device.

19. The structure of claim 17 , wherein said element at an interface between layers comprises Oxygen(O).

20. The structure of claim 17 , wherein said non-magnetic layer comprises one or more layers of metals selected from the group of metals consisting of Ta, Hf, Gd, W, Mo, Bi, Te, Sb, Pt and Pd and their alloys.

21. The structure of claim 17 , wherein said non-magnetic layer comprises one or more layers of alloys of high-spin-orbit-coupling materials selected from the group BiSe, BiTe, BiSbSe and BiSbTe.

22. The structure of claim 17 , wherein said ferromagnetic free layer comprises at least one layer of material selected of the group of materials consisting of Fe, CoFe, CoFeB, TbFeCo and GdFeCo.

23. The structure of claim 17 , wherein said ferromagnetic free layer comprises a multilayer containing two or more of the elements Pd, Pt, Co, Fe, Ta, Hf, CoFe, Ru and CoFeB.

24. The structure of claim 17 , wherein said insulator layer comprises TaO x or MgO.

25. The structure of claim 17 , further comprising:
a dielectric tunnel barrier layer; and
a ferromagnetic fixed layer disposed over the dielectric tunnel barrier layer, the dielectric tunnel barrier layer separating the ferromagnetic fixed layer from the ferromagnetic free layer.

26. A magnetic structure with perpendicular anisotropy, compris

Assignees

• Univ California

Inventors

• Wang Kang L
• Khalili Amiri Pedram
• Yu Guoqiang
• Upadhyaya Pramey

Classifications

• G11C11/161 Primary

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

• H01L43/08 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G11C11/18

  using Hall-effect devices · CPC title

• H01L43/06

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H10N50/10 Primary

  Magnetoresistive devices · CPC title