Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a magnetic structure, which includes a magnetic fixed layer structure formed on top of a seed layer structure. The seed layer structure includes one or more layers of a first transition metal, which may be platinum, palladium, nickel, or iridium, interleaved with one or more layers of a second transition metal, which may be tantalum, titanium, vanadium, molybdenum, chromium, tungsten, zirconium, hafnium, or niobium. The magnetic fixed layer structure has a first invariable magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to a layer plane thereof and includes layers of a first magnetic material interleaved with layers of the first transition metal. The first magnetic material may be made of cobalt.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a method for manufacturing a memory cell that includes a magnetic memory element electrically connected to a two-terminal selector. The method includes the steps of depositing a selector film stack on a substrate; depositing a magnetic memory element film stack on top of the selector film stack; etching the magnetic memory element film stack with an etch mask formed thereon to remove at least an insulating tunnel junction layer in the magnetic memory element film stack not covered by the etch mask, thereby forming a magnetic memory element pillar; depositing a first conforming dielectric layer over the magnetic memory element pillar, including a sidewall thereof, and surrounding surface; etching a portion of the first conforming dielectric layer covering the surrounding surface to form a first protective sleeve around at least the insulating tunnel junction layer of the magnetic memory element pillar; and etching the selector film stack using the etch mask and the first protective sleeve as a composite mask to form a memory cell pillar.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a magnetic memory element including a magnetic free layer structure having a variable magnetization direction perpendicular to a layer plane thereof; an insulating tunnel junction layer formed adjacent to the magnetic free layer structure; a first magnetic reference layer comprising cobalt, iron, and boron formed adjacent to the insulating tunnel junction layer; a second magnetic reference layer comprising cobalt separated from the first magnetic reference layer by a molybdenum layer; an iridium layer formed adjacent to the second magnetic reference layer; and a magnetic fixed layer structure formed adjacent to the iridium layer. The magnetic free layer structure includes a first and a second magnetic free layers with a perpendicular enhancement layer interposed therebetween. The first and second magnetic reference layers have a first invariable magnetization direction perpendicular to layer planes thereof. The magnetic fixed layer structure has a second invariable magnetization direction opposite to the first invariable magnetization direction.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to an MTJ memory element comprising a magnetic free layer structure including one or more magnetic free layers that have a variable magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to layer planes thereof; an insulating tunnel junction layer formed adjacent to the magnetic free layer structure; a magnetic reference layer structure including a first magnetic reference layer and a second magnetic reference layer with a perpendicular enhancement layer interposed therebetween, the first and second magnetic reference layers having a first fixed magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to layer planes thereof; an anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer formed adjacent to the second magnetic reference layer; and a magnetic fixed layer formed adjacent to the anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer. The non-magnetic perpendicular enhancement layer includes a first perpendicular enhancement sublayer formed adjacent to the first magnetic reference layer and a second perpendicular enhancement sublayer formed adjacent to the second magnetic reference layer.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a magnetic random access memory element that includes a multilayered seed structure formed by interleaving a first type sublayer and a second type sublayer to form one or more repeats of a unit bilayer structure and a first magnetic layer formed on top of the multilayered seed structure. The unit bilayer structure is made of the first and second type sublayers with at least one of the first and second type sublayers including therein one or more ferromagnetic elements. The multilayered seed structure may be amorphous or non-magnetic or both. The unit bilayer structure may be made of CoFeB and Ta sublayers.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a memory cell that includes a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) memory element and a two-terminal selector element coupled in series. The MTJ memory element includes a magnetic free layer structure and a magnetic reference layer structure with an insulating tunnel junction layer interposed therebetween. The magnetic reference layer structure includes one or more magnetic reference layers having a first invariable magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to layer planes thereof. The two-terminal selector element includes a first inert electrode and a second inert electrode with a volatile switching layer interposed therebetween; a first active electrode formed adjacent to the first inert electrode; and a second active electrode formed adjacent to the second inert electrode. The volatile switching layer includes a plurality of metal-rich particles or clusters embedded in a matrix or at least one conductor layer interleaved with insulating layers.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a memory cell array comprising an array of magnetic memory elements arranged in rows and columns; a plurality of electrodes, each of which is formed adjacent to a respective one of the array of magnetic memory elements; a plurality of first conductive lines, each of which is connected to a respective row of the array of magnetic memory elements along a row direction; and a plurality of composite lines. Each composite line includes a volatile switching layer connected to a respective column of the plurality of electrodes along a column direction; an electrode layer formed adjacent to the volatile switching layer; and a second conductive line formed adjacent to the electrode layer. The dimension of the volatile switching layer may be substantially larger than the size of the magnetic memory element along the row direction.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a method for manufacturing a memory cell that includes a magnetic memory element electrically connected to a two-terminal selector. The method includes the steps of depositing a magnetic memory element film stack on a substrate; depositing a selector film stack on top of the magnetic memory element film stack; etching the selector film stack with an etch mask formed thereon to remove at least a switching layer in the selector film stack not covered by the etch mask, thereby forming a selector pillar; depositing a first conforming dielectric layer over the selector pillar and surrounding surface; etching a portion of the first conforming dielectric layer covering the surrounding surface to form a first protective sleeve around at least the switching layer of the selector pillar; and etching the magnetic memory element film stack using the etch mask and the first protective sleeve as a composite mask to form a memory cell pillar.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a method for manufacturing a memory cell that includes a magnetic memory element electrically connected to a two-terminal selector. The method includes the steps of depositing a magnetic memory element film stack on a substrate; depositing a selector film stack on top of the magnetic memory element film stack; etching the selector film stack with an etch mask formed thereon to remove at least a switching layer in the selector film stack not covered by the etch mask, thereby forming a selector pillar; depositing a first conforming dielectric layer over the selector pillar and surrounding surface; etching a portion of the first conforming dielectric layer covering the surrounding surface to form a first protective sleeve around at least the switching layer of the selector pillar; and etching the magnetic memory element film stack using the etch mask and the first protective sleeve as a composite mask to form a memory cell pillar.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a magnetic memory element including a magnetic free layer structure having a variable magnetization direction perpendicular to a layer plane thereof; an oxide layer formed adjacent to the magnetic free layer structure; an insulating tunnel junction layer formed adjacent to the magnetic free layer structure opposite the oxide layer; a first magnetic reference layer formed adjacent to the insulating tunnel junction layer opposite the magnetic free layer structure; a second magnetic reference layer separated from the first magnetic reference layer by a perpendicular enhancement layer; an antiferromagnetic coupling layer formed adjacent to the second magnetic reference layer; and a magnetic fixed layer structure formed adjacent to the antiferromagnetic coupling layer. The first and second magnetic reference layers have a first invariable magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to layer planes thereof. The magnetic fixed layer structure has a second invariable magnetization direction substantially opposite to the first invariable magnetization direction.