摘要:
Provided is a method for etching an etching target layer of a workpiece. The workpiece has a mask on the etching target layer. The etching target layer and the mask are formed from respective materials for which etching efficiency by a plasma of a rare gas having an atomic number greater than an atomic number of argon is higher than etching efficiency for the materials by a plasma of argon gas. The mask is formed from a material having a melting point higher than that of the etching target layer. The method includes (a) exposing the workpiece to a plasma of a first process gas containing a first rare gas having an atomic number greater than the atomic number of argon, and (b) exposing the workpiece to a plasma of a second process gas containing a second rare gas having an atomic number less than the atomic number of argon.
摘要:
The present disclosure concerns a magnetic sensor device (100) for sensing an external magnetic field, comprising a plurality of MLU cells (1), each MLU cell (1) comprising a magnetic tunnel junction (2) including a sense layer (21) having a sense magnetization (210) freely orientable in the external magnetic field; a storage layer (23) having a storage magnetization (230); and a tunnel barrier layer (22) between the sense layer (21) and the storage layer (23); the magnetic sensor device (100) further comprising a stress inducing device (6) configured for applying an anisotropic mechanical stress on the magnetic tunnel junction (2) such as to induce a stress-induced magnetic anisotropy (271, 272) on at least one of the sense layer (21) and the storage layer (23); and the stress-induced magnetic anisotropy (271, 272) induced by the stress inducing device corresponding substantially to a net magnetic anisotropy (280) of said at least one of the sense layer (21) and the storage layer (23). The magnetic sensor device can be programmed easily and has improved sensitivity.
摘要:
A magnetic device includes a pinned magnetic layer having a first fixed magnetization vector with a first fixed magnetization direction. The magnetic device also includes a free magnetic layer having a variable magnetization vector having at least a first stable state and a second stable state. The magnetic device also has a first non-magnetic layer and a reference. The first non-magnetic layer spatially separates the pinned magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer. The magnetic device also includes a second non-magnetic layer spatially separating the free magnetic layer and the reference magnetic layer. A magnetic tunnel junction, located below the pinned magnetic layer, is formed by the free magnetic layer, the second non-magnetic layer, and the reference magnetic layer. Application of a current pulse, having either positive or negative polarity and a selected amplitude and duration, through the magnetic device switches the variable magnetization vector.
摘要:
A magnetic cell core includes at least one stressor structure proximate to a magnetic region (e.g., a free region or a fixed region). The magnetic region may be formed of a magnetic material exhibiting magnetostriction. During switching, the stressor structure may be subjected to a programming current passing through the magnetic cell core. In response to the current, the stressor structure may alter in size. Due to the size change, the stressor structure may exert a stress upon the magnetic region and, thereby, alter its magnetic anisotropy. In some embodiments, the MA strength of the magnetic region may be lowered during switching so that a lower programming current may be used to switch the magnetic orientation of the free region. In some embodiments, multiple stressor structures may be included in the magnetic cell core. Methods of fabrication and operation and related device structures and systems are also disclosed.
摘要:
Enhanced Hc and Hk in addition to higher thermal stability to 400° C. are achieved in magnetic devices by adding dusting layers on top and bottom surfaces of a spacer in a synthetic antiferromagnetic (SAF) structure to give a RL1/DL1/spacer/DL2/RL2 reference layer configuration where RL1 and RL2 layers exhibit perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA), the spacer induces antiferromagnetic coupling between RL1 and RL2, and DL1 and DL2 are dusting layers that enhance PMA. RL1 and RL2 layers are selected from laminates such as (Ni/Co)n, L10 alloys, or rare earth-transition metal alloys. The reference layer may be incorporated in STT-MRAM memory elements or in spintronic devices including a spin transfer oscillator. Dusting layers and a similar SAF design may be employed in a free layer for Ku enhancement and to increase the retention time of a memory cell.
摘要:
The present disclosure concerns a multibit MRAM cell (1) comprising a magnetic tunnel junction (2) including a sense layer (21) having a freely orientable sense magnetization (211); a tunnel barrier layer (22), a synthetic antiferromagnet storage layer (23) having a first and second storage layer (231, 232); wherein the sense magnetization (211) induces a dipolar field (212) having a magnitude above a spin-flop field (H SF ) of the storage layer (23); the MRAM cell (1) further comprising aligning means for aligning the sense magnetization (211) in a plurality of distinct orientations such as to encode a plurality of distinct logic states in the MRAM cell (1). The present disclosure also concerns a method for operating the multibit MRAM cell (1).