公开(公告)号：US20160252591A1

公开(公告)日：2016-09-01

申请号：US15028103

申请日：2014-10-01

申请人： CROCUS TECHNOLOGY SA

发明人： Sebastien Bandiera

IPC分类号： G01R33/09

CPC分类号： G01R33/098

摘要： Method for sensing an external magnetic field using a magnetic sensor cell including: a magnetic tunnel junction including a reference layer having a reference magnetization oriented parallel to the plane of the reference layer, a sense layer having a sense magnetization, and a tunnel barrier layer between the sense and reference layers. A field line is configured for passing a field current for providing a sense magnetic field adapted for aligning the sense magnetization. The sense layer magnetization is orientable between a direction parallel to the plane of the sense layer and a direction perpendicular to the plane of the sense layer when the sense magnetic field is provided. The external magnetic field includes an in-plane component oriented parallel to the plane of the sense layer and an out-of-plane component perpendicular to the plane of the sense layer. The method includes sensing the out-of-plane component; and sensing the in-plane component.

摘要翻译： 一种用于使用磁传感器电池感测外部磁场的方法，包括：包括具有平行于参考层的平面的参考磁化的参考磁化的参考层的磁性隧道结，具有感测磁化的感测层，以及在 感觉和参考层。 场线被配置为传递场电流以提供适于对准感测磁化的感测磁场。 当提供感测磁场时，感测层磁化在平行于感测层的平面的方向和垂直于感测层的平面的方向之间定向。 外部磁场包括平行于感测层的平面定向的平面内部分和垂直于感测层的平面的平面外部分。 该方法包括感测平面外部分; 并感测平面内部件。

公开(公告)号：US20150348607A1

公开(公告)日：2015-12-03

申请号：US14649591

申请日：2013-12-02

申请人： CROCUS Technology SA

发明人： Quentin Stainer

IPC分类号： G11C11/16

CPC分类号： G11C11/1675 ,  G11C11/161 ,  G11C11/1673 ,  G11C11/1693 ,  H01F10/3254

摘要： MRAM cell including a magnetic tunnel junction including a sense layer, a storage layer, a tunnel barrier layer and an antiferromagnetic layer exchange-coupling the storage layer such that the storage magnetization can be pinned when the antiferromagnetic layer is below a critical temperature and freely varied when the antiferromagnetic layer is heated at or above the critical temperature. The sense layer is arranged such that the sense magnetization can be switched from a first stable direction to another stable direction opposed to the first direction. The switched sense magnetization generates a sense stray field being large enough for switching the storage magnetization according to the switched sense magnetization, when the magnetic tunnel junction is heated at the writing temperature. The disclosure also relates to a method for writing to the MRAM cell with increased reliability and reduced power consumption.

摘要翻译： MRAM单元包括包括感测层，存储层，隧道势垒层和反铁磁层的磁性隧道结，交换耦合存储层，使得当反铁磁层低于临界温度时可以固定存储磁化并自由变化 当反铁磁性层被加热到临界温度以上时。 感测层被布置成使得感测磁化可以从第一稳定方向切换到与第一方向相反的另一稳定方向。 当磁性隧道结在写入温度下被加热时，开关感测磁化产生足够大的感测杂散场，以便根据切换的感测磁化来切换存储磁化。 本公开还涉及一种以更高的可靠性和降低的功耗写入MRAM单元的方法。

公开(公告)号：US20150294708A1

公开(公告)日：2015-10-15

申请号：US14583983

申请日：2014-12-29

申请人： International Business Machines Corporation ,  Crocus Technology SA

发明人： Anthony J. Annunziata ,  Lucian Prejbeanu ,  Philip L. Trouilloud ,  Daniel C. Worledge

IPC分类号： G11C11/16 ,  H01L43/08 ,  H01L43/12 ,  H01L43/02

CPC分类号： H01L43/02 ,  G11C11/161 ,  G11C11/1673 ,  G11C11/1675 ,  G11C11/1677 ,  G11C11/5607 ,  H01L43/08 ,  H01L43/12

摘要： A mechanism is provided for a thermally assisted magnetoresistive random access memory device (TAS-MRAM). A storage layer has an anisotropic axis, in which the storage layer is configured to store a state in off axis positions and on axis positions. The off axis positions are not aligned with the anisotropic axis. A tunnel barrier is disposed on top of the storage layer. A ferromagnetic sense layer is disposed on top of the tunnel barrier.

摘要翻译： 提供了一种用于热辅助磁阻随机存取存储器件（TAS-MRAM）的机构。 存储层具有各向异性轴，其中存储层被配置为在离轴位置和轴位置上存储状态。 离轴位置不与各向异性轴对齐。 隧道势垒设置在存储层的顶部。 铁磁感应层设置在隧道屏障的顶部。

公开(公告)号：US20150228888A1

公开(公告)日：2015-08-13

申请号：US14431125

申请日：2013-09-12

申请人： CROCUS TECHNOLOGY SA

发明人： Ioan Lucian Prejbeanu ,  Bernard Dieny ,  Kenneth MacKay ,  Bertrand Cambou

IPC分类号： H01L43/02 ,  H03F15/00 ,  H03K19/18

CPC分类号： H01L43/02 ,  G11C11/16 ,  G11C11/1675 ,  H03F15/00 ,  H03K19/18

摘要： A magnetic logic unit (MLU) cell includes a first magnetic tunnel junction and a second magnetic tunnel junction, each magnetic tunnel junction including a first magnetic layer having a first magnetization, a second magnetic layer having a second magnetization, and a tunnel barrier layer between the first and second layer. A field line for passing a field current such as to generate an external magnetic field is adapted to switch the first magnetization. The first magnetic layer is arranged such that the magnetic tunnel junction magnetization varies linearly with the generated external magnetic field. An MLU amplifier includes a plurality of the MLU cells. The MLU amplifier has large gains, extended cut off frequencies and improved linearity.

摘要翻译： 磁逻辑单元（MLU）单元包括第一磁性隧道结和第二磁性隧道结，每个磁性隧道结包括具有第一磁化的第一磁性层，具有第二磁化的第二磁性层，和 第一层和第二层。 用于传递场电流（例如产生外部磁场）的场线适于切换第一磁化。 第一磁性层布置成使得磁性隧道结磁化随所产生的外部磁场线性变化。 MLU放大器包括多个MLU单元。 MLU放大器具有很大的增益，延长了截止频率，提高了线性度。

公开(公告)号：US09059400B2

公开(公告)日：2015-06-16

申请号：US14203362

申请日：2014-03-10

申请人： Crocus Technology Inc.

发明人： Dafna Beery ,  Jason Reid ,  Jong Shin ,  Jean Pierre Nozieres ,  Olivier Joubert

IPC分类号： H01L27/00 ,  H01L43/12 ,  H01L27/22 ,  H01L43/08

CPC分类号： H01L43/12 ,  H01L27/222 ,  H01L43/08

摘要： A manufacturing method to form a memory device includes forming a hard mask on a magnetic stack. A first magnetic stack etch is performed to form exposed magnetic layers. A liner is applied to the exposed magnetic layers to form protected magnetic layers. A second magnetic stack etch forms a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) cell, where the liner prevents shunting between the protected magnetic layers.

摘要翻译： 形成存储器件的制造方法包括在磁性堆叠上形成硬掩模。 执行第一磁栈蚀刻以形成暴露的磁性层。 将衬垫施加到暴露的磁性层以形成受保护的磁性层。 第二磁栈蚀刻形成磁性随机存取存储器（MRAM）单元，其中衬垫防止受保护的磁层之间的分流。

公开(公告)号：US08988935B2

公开(公告)日：2015-03-24

申请号：US13720232

申请日：2012-12-19

申请人： Crocus Technology SA

发明人： Ioan Lucian Prejbeanu ,  Kenneth Mackay

IPC分类号： G11C11/00 ,  G11C11/16 ,  G11C11/56 ,  H01F10/32

CPC分类号： G11C11/1675 ,  G11C11/16 ,  G11C11/161 ,  G11C11/5607 ,  H01F10/3254 ,  H01F10/3272 ,  H01F10/329

摘要： The present disclosure concerns a method for writing to a self-referenced MRAM cell comprising a magnetic tunnel junction comprising: a storage layer including a first ferromagnetic layer having a first storage magnetization, a second ferromagnetic layer having a second storage magnetization, and a non-magnetic coupling layer separating the first and second ferromagnetic layers; a sense layer having a free sense magnetization; and a tunnel barrier layer included between the sense and storage layers; the first and second ferromagnetic layers being arranged such that a dipolar coupling between the storage) and the sense layers is substantially null; the method comprising: switching the second ferromagnetic magnetization by passing a spin-polarized current in the magnetic tunnel junction; wherein the spin-polarized current is polarized when passing in the sense layer, in accordance with the direction of the sense magnetization. The MRAM cell can be written with low power consumption.

摘要翻译： 本公开涉及一种用于写入包括磁性隧道结的自参考MRAM单元的方法，包括：存储层，包括具有第一存储磁化的第一铁磁层，具有第二存储磁化的第二铁磁层， 分离第一和第二铁磁层的磁耦合层; 具有自由感知磁化的感测层; 以及包括在感测层和存储层之间的隧道势垒层; 所述第一和第二铁磁层布置成使得所述存储器之间的偶极耦合）和所述感测层基本上为零; 该方法包括：通过使磁性隧道结中的自旋极化电流通过来切换第二铁磁性磁化; 其中根据感测磁化的方向，当在感测层中通过时，自旋极化电流被极化。 MRAM单元可以写入低功耗。

公开(公告)号：US20150077098A1

公开(公告)日：2015-03-19

申请号：US14552326

申请日：2014-11-24

申请人： Crocus Technology Inc.

发明人： Bertrand F. Cambou ,  Douglas J. Lee ,  Ken Mackay ,  Barry Hoberman

IPC分类号： G01R33/09 ,  G01B7/30

CPC分类号： G01D5/12 ,  G01B7/30 ,  G01C17/02 ,  G01D5/16 ,  G01R33/0029 ,  G01R33/096 ,  G01R33/098 ,  G11C11/1659 ,  G11C11/1673 ,  G11C11/1675

摘要： An apparatus includes circuits, a field line configured to generate a magnetic field based on an input, a sensing module configured to determine a parameter of each circuit, and a magnetic field direction determination module configured to determine an angular orientation of the apparatus relative to an external magnetic field based on the parameter. Each circuit includes multiple magnetic tunnel junctions. Each magnetic tunnel junction includes a storage layer having a storage magnetization direction and a sense layer having a sense magnetization direction configured based on the magnetic field. Each magnetic tunnel junction is configured such that the sense magnetization direction and a resistance of the magnetic tunnel junction vary based on the external magnetic field. The parameter varies based on the resistances of the multiple magnetic tunnel junctions. The magnetic field direction determination module is implemented in at least one of a memory or a processing device.

公开(公告)号：US20140126283A1

公开(公告)日：2014-05-08

申请号：US14154405

申请日：2014-01-14

申请人： Crocus Technology SA

发明人： Bertrand Cambou

IPC分类号： G11C11/16

CPC分类号： G11C11/1675 ,  G11C11/16 ,  G11C11/5607 ,  Y10S977/933 ,  Y10S977/935

摘要： The present disclosure concerns a multilevel magnetic element comprising a first tunnel barrier layer between a soft ferromagnetic layer having a magnetization that can be freely aligned and a first hard ferromagnetic layer having a magnetization that is fixed at a first high temperature threshold and freely alignable at a first low temperature threshold. The magnetic element further comprises a second tunnel barrier layer and a second hard ferromagnetic layer having a magnetization that is fixed at a second high temperature threshold and freely alignable at a first low temperature threshold; the soft ferromagnetic layer being comprised between the first and second tunnel barrier layers. The magnetic element disclosed herein allows for writing four distinct levels using only a single current line.

摘要翻译： 本公开涉及一种多电平磁性元件，其包括在具有可自由对准的磁化的软铁磁层之间的第一隧道势垒层和具有固定在第一高温阈值的磁化的第一硬铁磁层，并且可在 第一低温阈值。 磁性元件还包括第二隧道势垒层和具有固定在第二高温阈值并且可在第一低温阈值自由对准的磁化的第二硬铁磁层; 软铁磁层包括在第一和第二隧道势垒层之间。 这里公开的磁性元件允许仅使用单个电流线来写入四个不同的电平。

公开(公告)号：US20130241536A1

公开(公告)日：2013-09-19

申请号：US13787585

申请日：2013-03-06

申请人： CROCUS TECHNOLOGY INC.

发明人： Bertrand F. Cambou ,  Douglas J. Lee ,  Ken Mackay ,  Barry Hoberman

IPC分类号： G01B7/30

CPC分类号： G01D5/12 ,  G01B7/30 ,  G01C17/02 ,  G01D5/16 ,  G01R33/0029 ,  G01R33/096 ,  G01R33/098 ,  G11C11/1659 ,  G11C11/1673 ,  G11C11/1675

摘要： An apparatus includes circuits, a field line configured to generate a magnetic field based on an input, a sensing module configured to determine a parameter of each circuit, and a magnetic field direction determination module configured to determine an angular orientation of the apparatus relative to an external magnetic field based on the parameter. Each circuit includes multiple magnetic tunnel junctions. Each magnetic tunnel junction includes a storage layer having a storage magnetization direction and a sense layer having a sense magnetization direction configured based on the magnetic field. Each magnetic tunnel junction is configured such that the sense magnetization direction and a resistance of the magnetic tunnel junction vary based on the external magnetic field. The parameter varies based on the resistances of the multiple magnetic tunnel junctions. The magnetic field direction determination module is implemented in at least one of a memory or a processing device.

公开(公告)号：US20130208523A1

公开(公告)日：2013-08-15

申请号：US13764139

申请日：2013-02-11

申请人： CROCUS TECHNOLOGY SA

发明人： Jeremy Alvarez-Herault ,  Yann Conraux ,  Lucien Lombard

IPC分类号： G11C15/02

CPC分类号： G11C15/02 ,  G11C11/16 ,  G11C11/161 ,  G11C11/1659 ,  G11C11/1673 ,  G11C11/1675 ,  G11C15/046 ,  G11C2211/5615

摘要： The present disclosure concerns a self-referenced magnetic random access memory-based ternary content addressable memory (MRAM-based TCAM) cell comprising a first and second magnetic tunnel junction; a first and second conducting strap adapted to pass a heating current in the first and second magnetic tunnel junction, respectively; a conductive line electrically connecting the first and second magnetic tunnel junctions in series; a first current line for passing a first field current to selectively write a first write data to the first magnetic tunnel junction; and a second current line for passing a write current to selectively write a second write data to the second magnetic tunnel junction, such that three distinct cell logic states can be written in the MRAM-based TCAM cell.

摘要翻译： 本公开涉及包括第一和第二磁性隧道结的自参照的基于磁性随机存取存储器的三进制内容可寻址存储器（MRAM-based TCAM）单元; 适于分别在第一和第二磁性隧道结中传递加热电流的第一和第二导电带; 导电线，串联电连接第一和第二磁性隧道结; 用于通过第一场电流以选择性地将第一写入数据写入到第一磁性隧道结的第一电流线; 以及用于传递写入电流以选择性地将第二写入数据写入到第二磁性隧道结的第二电流线，使得可以在基于MRAM的TCAM单元中写入三个不同的单元逻辑状态。