Magnetic memory device and method for manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9761793-B1
Application number	US-201615157717-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	May 18, 2016
Priority date	May 18, 2016
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

Abstract

Example embodiments relate to a magnetic memory device that includes a magnetic tunnel junction layer including a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a first tunnel barrier layer between the first and second magnetic layers. The second magnetic layer is disposed on the first tunnel barrier layer and is in direct contact with the first tunnel barrier layer. The second magnetic layer includes cobalt-iron-beryllium (CoFeBe). A beryllium content of CoFeBe in the second magnetic layer ranges from about 2 at % to about 10 at %.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A magnetic memory device comprising:
a magnetic tunnel junction layer including: a first magnetic layer; a second magnetic layer; and a first tunnel barrier layer between the first and second magnetic layers,
wherein the second magnetic layer is on the first tunnel barrier layer and is in direct contact with the first tunnel barrier layer,
wherein the second magnetic layer includes cobalt-iron-beryllium (CoFeBe), and
wherein a beryllium content of CoFeBe in the second magnetic layer ranges from about 2 at % to about 10 at %.

2. The magnetic memory device of claim 1 , wherein the second magnetic layer comprises: a first layer including CoFeBe; and a second layer containing a non-magnetic material, and
wherein the non-magnetic material includes at least one of platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), or tantalum (Ta).

3. The magnetic memory device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a capping layer spaced apart from the first tunnel barrier layer with the second magnetic layer interposed therebetween,
wherein the capping layer includes a metal oxide.

4. The magnetic memory device of claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic layer includes cobalt-iron-boron (CoFeB) or cobalt-iron-beryllium (CoFeBe).

5. The magnetic memory device of claim 1 , wherein the second magnetic layer further includes boron (B), and
wherein the beryllium content of cobalt-iron-beryllium-boron (CoFeBeB) in the second magnetic layer ranges from about 2 at % to about 10 at %.

6. The magnetic memory device of claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic layer is a free magnetic layer having a switchable magnetization direction, and
wherein the second magnetic layer is a pinned magnetic layer having a fixed magnetization direction.

7. The magnetic memory device of claim 6 , further comprising:
a non-magnetic metal layer under the first magnetic layer,
wherein the first magnetic layer includes cobalt-iron-beryllium (CoFeBe), and
wherein the non-magnetic metal layer includes at least one of hafnium (Hf), zirconium (Zr), titanium (Ti), tantalum (Ta), tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo), chromium (Cr), vanadium (V), ruthenium (Ru), or any alloy thereof.

8. The magnetic memory device of claim 6 , wherein the magnetic tunnel junction layer further comprises:
a third magnetic layer on the second magnetic layer and having a fixed magnetization direction; and
an exchange coupling layer between the second and third magnetic layers
wherein the beryllium content of the second magnetic layer is greater than the beryllium content of the third magnetic layer.

9. The magnetic memory device of claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic layer comprises a pinned magnetic layer having a fixed magnetization direction, and
wherein the second magnetic layer includes a free magnetic layer having a switchable magnetization direction.

10. The magnetic memory device of claim 9 , wherein the magnetic tunnel junction layer further comprises:
a second tunnel barrier layer on the second magnetic layer; and
an additional magnetic layer on the second tunnel barrier layer,
wherein the second magnetic layer is between the first and second tunnel barrier layers.

11. The magnetic memory device of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic tunnel junction layer is on a substrate, and
wherein a magnetization direction of the first magnetic layer and a magnetization direction of the second magnetic layer are substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal surface of the substrate.

12. The magnetic memory device of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic tunnel junction layer is on a substrate, and
wherein a magnetization direction of the first magnetic layer and a magnetization direction of the second magnetic layer are substantially parallel to a longitudinal surface of the substrate.

13. A magnetic memory device comprising:
a substrate; and
a magnetic tunnel junction layer on the substrate, the magnetic tunnel junction layer including: a free magnetic layer; a first pinned magnetic layer; and a tunnel barrier layer between the first free magnetic layer and the first pinned magnetic layer,
wherein the free magnetic layer is between the substrate and the tunnel barrier layer,
wherein the first pinned magnetic layer is in direct contact with a top surface of the tunnel barrier layer, and
wherein the first pinned magnetic layer includes cobalt-iron-beryllium (CoFeBe).

14. The magnetic memory device of claim 13 , wherein a beryllium content of CoFeBe in the first pinned magnetic layer ranges from about 2 at % to about 10 at %.

15. The magnetic memory device of claim 13 , wherein the free magnetic layer includes cobalt-iron-boron (CoFeB) or cobalt-iron-beryllium (CoFeBe).

16. The magnetic memory device of claim 13 , wherein the magnetic tunnel junction layer further comprises:
a second pinned magnetic layer on the first pinned magnetic layer; and
an exchange coupling layer between the first and second pinned magnetic layers,
wherein the beryllium content of the first pinned magnetic layer is greater than the beryllium content of the second pinned magnetic layer.

17. The magnetic memory device of claim 13 , wherein a thickness of the first pinned magnetic layer ranges from about 7 Å to about 13 Å.

18. A magnetic memory device comprising:
a magnetic tunnel junction layer including a first magnetic layer having a first magnetization direction, a second magnetic layer having a second magnetization direction, and a tunnel barrier layer between the first and second magnetic layers;
at least one of the first and second magnetic layers including (CoxFe100-x)100-zBez, where “x” is in the range of 1 to 50, and “z” is in the range of 2 to 10; and
the first and second magnetization directions being parallel to each other.

19. The magnetic memory device of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer is in direct contact with the tunnel barrier layer.

20. The magnetic memory device of claim 18 , wherein:
the first magnetic layer includes a free magnetic layer having a switchable magnetization direction; and
the second magnetic layer includes a pinned magnetic layer having a fixed magnetization direction.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
• IBM

Inventors

• Kim Woojin
• Kim Keewon
• Jeong Jaewoo
• Parkin Stuart S P
• Samant Mahesh Govind

Classifications

• H01L43/08 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L43/10

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L27/222

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G11C11/161 Primary

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

• G11C11/1675

  Writing or programming circuits or methods · CPC title