公开(公告)号：US20200341079A1

公开(公告)日：2020-10-29

申请号：US16855403

申请日：2020-04-22

Applicant: IMEC vzw

Inventor： Johan Swerts ,  Kevin Garello

IPC: G01R33/09 ,  G11C11/16 ,  H01L43/10 ,  H01L43/02 ,  H01L43/08 ,  H01L27/22

Abstract: The disclosed technology relates generally to semiconductor devices and more particularly to magnetic tunnel junction devices. According to an aspect, an MTJ device comprises a spin-orbit-torque (SOT)-layer. The MTJ device additionally comprises a first free layer, a second free layer, a reference layer and a tunnel barrier layer arranged between the second free layer and the reference layer. The MTJ device further comprises a spacer layer arranged as an interfacial layer between the first free layer and the second free layer. The SOT-layer is adapted to switch a magnetization direction of the first free layer through SOT. The first free layer is adapted to generate a magnetic stray field acting on the second free layer such that a magnetization direction of the second free layer is responsive to a magnetization direction of the first free layer. According to another aspect, a circuit comprises the MTJ device.

公开(公告)号：US10573688B2

公开(公告)日：2020-02-25

申请号：US16137336

申请日：2018-09-20

Applicant: IMEC vzw

Inventor： Johan Swerts

IPC: H01L43/10 ,  H01L43/08 ,  H01F10/32 ,  G11C11/16 ,  H01L43/02 ,  H01L27/22

Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to magnetic devices, and more particular to a magnetic structure, and a magnetic tunnel junction device and a magnetic random access memory including the magnetic structure. According to an aspect, a magnetic structure for a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device includes a free layer, a tunnel barrier layer, a reference layer, a hard magnetic layer, and an inter-layer stack arranged between the hard magnetic layer and the reference layer. The inter-layer stack includes a first ferromagnetic sub-layer, a second ferromagnetic sub-layer and a non-magnetic spacer sub-layer. The non-magnetic spacer sub-layer is arranged in contact with and between the first ferromagnetic sub-layer and the second ferromagnetic sub-layer and is adapted to provide a ferromagnetic coupling of a magnetization of the first ferromagnetic sub-layer and a magnetization of the second ferromagnetic sub-layer. A magnetization direction of the reference layer is fixed by the hard magnetic layer and the inter-layer stack.

公开(公告)号：US10333059B2

公开(公告)日：2019-06-25

申请号：US15079407

申请日：2016-03-24

Applicant: IMEC VZW

Inventor： Johan Swerts ,  Sofie Mertens

IPC: H01L43/12 ,  H01F41/18 ,  H01L43/08 ,  H01L43/10 ,  H01L21/285 ,  H01L21/768

Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to forming a semiconductor structure and more particularly to forming a stack of layers of a semiconductor structure using a sacrificial layer that is removed during deposition of a functional layer. In one aspect, the disclosed technology relates to a method of protecting a top surface of a layer in a semiconductor structure. The method comprises: providing the layer on a substrate, the layer having an initial thickness and an initial composition; forming a sacrificial metal layer on and in contact with the layer, the sacrificial metal layer comprising a light metal element; and depositing by physical vapor deposition a functional metal layer on and in contact with the sacrificial metal layer. The sacrificial metal layer is removed by sputtering during the deposition of the functional metal layer, such that an interface is formed between the layer and the functional metal layer. The sacrificial metal layer protects the layer during the deposition of the functional metal layer, such that the layer has a final thickness which substantially matches the initial thickness and a final composition which substantially matches the initial composition.

公开(公告)号：US10170687B2

公开(公告)日：2019-01-01

申请号：US15387350

申请日：2016-12-21

Applicant: IMEC VZW

Inventor： Johan Swerts ,  Mauricio Manfrini ,  Christoph Adelmann

IPC: H01L43/02 ,  H01L27/22 ,  H01L43/10 ,  H01L43/12

Abstract: The disclosed technology relates generally to magnetic devices, and more particularly to spin torque majority gate devices such as spin torque magnetic devices (STMG), and to methods of fabricating the same. In one aspect, a majority gate device includes a plurality of input zones and an output zone. A magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) is formed in each of the input zones and the output zone, where the MTJ includes a non-magnetic layer interposed between a free layer stack and a hard layer. The free layer stack in turn includes a bulk perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) layer on a seed layer, a magnetic layer formed on and in contact with the bulk PMA layer, and a non-magnetic layer formed on the magnetic layer. Each of the bulk PMA layer and the seed layer is configured as a common layer for each of the input zones and the output zone.

公开(公告)号：US11227645B2

公开(公告)日：2022-01-18

申请号：US16705937

申请日：2019-12-06

Applicant: IMEC VZW ,  VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL

Inventor： Sushil Sakhare ,  Manu Komalan Perumkunnil ,  Johan Swerts ,  Gouri Sankar Kar ,  Trong Huynh Bao

IPC: G11C11/16 ,  H01L27/22 ,  H01L43/02 ,  H01L43/08 ,  H01L43/10

Abstract: According to an example embodiment an MTJ unit is provided. The MTJ unit includes: a first MTJ comprising a first free layer, a first tunnel barrier layer and a first reference layer. The first MTJ is switchable between a parallel state and an anti-parallel state through spin-torque transfer (STT). The MTJ unit comprises a second MTJ arranged above the first MTJ and comprising, a second reference layer, a second tunnel barrier layer and a second free layer. The second MTJ is switchable between a parallel state and an anti-parallel state through STT. The MTJ unit comprises a pinning layer arranged between the first reference layer and the second reference layer and configured to fix a magnetization direction of the first reference layer and the second reference layer.

公开(公告)号：US11177433B2

公开(公告)日：2021-11-16

申请号：US16206855

申请日：2018-11-30

Applicant: IMEC vzw

Inventor： Tsann Lin ,  Johan Swerts

IPC: H01L43/08 ,  H01L43/10 ,  H01L43/12 ,  H01L43/02 ,  H03K19/23 ,  H03K19/18

Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates semiconductor devices, and relates more particularly to a spin transfer torque device, a method of operating the spin-transfer torque device and a method of fabricating the spin-transfer torque device. According to one aspect, a spin-transfer torque device includes a magnetic flux guide layer and a set of magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) pillars arranged above the magnetic flux guide layer. Each one of the pillars includes a separate free layer, a separate tunnel barrier layer and a separate reference layer. A coupling layer is arranged between the magnetic flux guide layer and the MTJ pillars, wherein a magnetization of the separate free layer of each of the each of the MTJ pillars is coupled, parallel or antiparallel, to a magnetization of the magnetic flux guide layer through the coupling layer.

公开(公告)号：US20210183557A1

公开(公告)日：2021-06-17

申请号：US17115578

申请日：2020-12-08

Applicant: IMEC vzw

Inventor： Robert Carpenter ,  Johan Swerts

IPC: H01F10/32 ,  H01L43/08 ,  H01L43/10 ,  H01L43/02 ,  H01L43/12 ,  H01L27/22 ,  G11C11/16

Abstract: The disclosed technology relates generally to the field of magnetic devices, in particular to magnetic memory devices or logic devices. The disclosed technology presents a magnetic structure for a magnetic device, wherein the magnetic structure comprises a magnetic reference layer (RL); a spacer provided on the magnetic RL, the spacer comprising a first texture breaking layer provided on the magnetic RL, a magnetic bridge layer provided on the first texture breaking layer, and a second texture breaking layer provided on the magnetic bridge layer. Further, the magnetic structure comprising a magnetic pinned layer (PL) or hard layer (HL) provided on the spacer, wherein the magnetic RL and the magnetic PL or HL are magnetically coupled across the spacer through direct exchange interaction.

公开(公告)号：US10749106B2

公开(公告)日：2020-08-18

申请号：US15801213

申请日：2017-11-01

Applicant: IMEC VZW

Inventor： Hanns Christoph Adelmann ,  Gouri Sankar Kar ,  Johan Swerts ,  Sebastien Couet

IPC: H01L29/82 ,  H01L43/12 ,  H01L43/10 ,  G11C11/14 ,  H01L27/22 ,  H01L43/02 ,  H01L43/08

Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to semiconductor devices and more particularly to semiconductor devices comprising a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ). In an aspect, a method of forming a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) includes forming a layer stack above a substrate, where the layer stack includes a ferromagnetic reference layer, a tunnel barrier layer and a ferromagnetic free layer and a spin-orbit-torque (SOT)-generating layer. The method additionally includes, subsequent to forming the layer stack, patterning the layer stack to form a MTJ pillar.

公开(公告)号：US20200185016A1

公开(公告)日：2020-06-11

申请号：US16705937

申请日：2019-12-06

Applicant: IMEC VZW ,  VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL

Inventor： Sushil Sakhare ,  Manu Komalan Perumkunnil ,  Johan Swerts ,  Gouri Sankar Kar ,  Trong Huynh Bao

IPC: G11C11/16 ,  H01L27/22 ,  H01L43/02 ,  H01L43/08 ,  H01L43/10

Abstract: According to an example embodiment an MTJ unit is provided. The MTJ unit includes: a first MTJ comprising a first free layer, a first tunnel barrier layer and a first reference layer. The first MTJ is switchable between a parallel state and an anti-parallel state through spin-torque transfer (STT). The MTJ unit comprises a second MTJ arranged above the first MTJ and comprising, a second reference layer, a second tunnel barrier layer and a second free layer. The second MTJ is switchable between a parallel state and an anti-parallel state through STT. The MTJ unit comprises a pinning layer arranged between the first reference layer and the second reference layer and configured to fix a magnetization direction of the first reference layer and the second reference layer.

公开(公告)号：US10050192B2

公开(公告)日：2018-08-14

申请号：US15373342

申请日：2016-12-08

Applicant: IMEC VZW

Inventor： Johan Swerts ,  Kiroubanand Sankaran ,  Tsann Lin ,  Geoffrey Pourtois

IPC: H01L43/08 ,  H01L27/22 ,  G11C11/16 ,  H01L43/10 ,  H01L43/12

Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to magnetic memory devices, and more particularly to spin transfer torque magnetic random access memory (STT-MRAM) devices having a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ), and further relates to methods of fabricating the STT-MRAM devices. In an aspect, a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) device has a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ). The MTJ includes a magnetic reference layer including CoFeB, a magnetic free layer comprising CoFeB, and a barrier layer including MgO. The barrier layer is interposed between the magnetic reference layer and the magnetic free layer. The barrier layer has a thickness adapted to tunnel electrons between the magnetic reference layer and the magnetic free layer sufficient to cause a change in the magnetization direction of the variable magnetization under a bias. The MTJ further comprises a buffer layer comprising one or more of Co, Fe, CoFe and CoFeB, where the buffer layer is doped with one or both of C and N.