公开(公告)号：US06452764B1

公开(公告)日：2002-09-17

申请号：US09688732

申请日：2000-10-16

申请人： David William Abraham ,  Philip Edward Batson ,  William Joseph Gallagher ,  Stuart Parkin ,  John Slonczewski ,  Philip Louis Trouilloud

发明人： David William Abraham ,  Philip Edward Batson ,  William Joseph Gallagher ,  Stuart Parkin ,  John Slonczewski ,  Philip Louis Trouilloud

IPC分类号： G11B539

CPC分类号： H01L27/224 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G01R33/093 ,  G11B2005/3996 ,  G11C11/15 ,  G11C11/16 ,  H01F10/3254 ,  H01F10/3268 ,  H01F41/325 ,  H01L43/08 ,  H01L43/12

摘要： Magnetoresistive devices are disclosed which include a changeable magnetic region within which at least two magnetic states can be imposed. Upon magnetoresistive electrical interaction with the device, the relative orientation of the magnetic states of the changeable magnetic region, and a proximate reference magnetic region, can be sensed thereby providing a binary data storage capability. The present invention limits the electrical interaction to only a preferred portion of the changeable magnetic region, e.g., the portion within which the two magnetic states can be dependably predicted to be substantially uniform, and opposite of one another. Structures for limiting the electrical interaction to this preferred portion of the changeable magnetic region are disclosed, and include smaller interaction regions, and alternating areas of insulation and conductive, interaction regions, disposed proximate the changeable magnetic region. The principles of the present invention can be applied to magnetic random access memory (“MRAM”) arrays, which employ giant magnetoresistive (“GMR”) cells, or magnetic tunnel junction (“MTJ”) cells, at the intersections of bitlines and wordlines, and also to magnetic sensors such as magnetic data storage devices having access elements used to access data on a magnetic data storage medium.

摘要翻译： 公开了磁阻器件，其包括可以施加至少两个磁状态的可变磁区域。 在与器件进行磁阻电相互作用时，可以感测可变磁区的磁状态和相邻参考磁场的相对取向，从而提供二进制数据存储能力。 本发明将电相互作用仅限于可变磁性区域的优选部分，例如可以可靠地预测两个磁状态基本上均匀且彼此相反的部分。 公开了用于限制与可变磁性区域的该优选部分的电相互作用的结构，并且包括较小的相互作用区域，以及设置在可变磁性区域附近的绝缘和导电的相互作用区域的交替区域。 本发明的原理可以应用于在位线和字线的交点处采用巨磁阻（“GMR”）单元或磁隧道结（“MTJ”）单元的磁随机存取存储器（“MRAM”）阵列 ，还包括具有用于访问磁数据存储介质上的数据的访问元件的诸如磁数据存储设备的磁传感器。

公开(公告)号：US06590750B2

公开(公告)日：2003-07-08

申请号：US09021352

申请日：1998-02-10

申请人： David William Abraham ,  Philip Edward Batson ,  John Slonczewski ,  Philip Louis Trouilloud ,  William Joseph Gallagher ,  Stuart Parkin

发明人： David William Abraham ,  Philip Edward Batson ,  John Slonczewski ,  Philip Louis Trouilloud ,  William Joseph Gallagher ,  Stuart Parkin

IPC分类号： G11B539

CPC分类号： H01L27/224 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G01R33/093 ,  G11B2005/3996 ,  G11C11/15 ,  G11C11/16 ,  H01F10/3254 ,  H01F10/3268 ,  H01F41/325 ,  H01L43/08 ,  H01L43/12

摘要： Magnetoresistive devices are disclosed which include a changeable magnetic region within which at least two magnetic states can be imposed. Upon magnetoresistive electrical interaction with the device, the relative orientation of the magnetic states of the changeable magnetic region, and a proximate reference magnetic region, can be sensed thereby providing a binary data storage capability. The present invention limits the electrical interaction to only a preferred portion of the changeable magnetic region, e.g., the portion within which the two magnetic states can be dependably predicted to be substantially uniform, and opposite of one another. Structures for limiting the electrical interaction to this preferred portion of the changeable magnetic region are disclosed, and include smaller interaction regions, and alternating areas of insulation and conductive, interaction regions, disposed proximate the changeable magnetic region. The principles of the present invention can be applied to magnetic random access memory (“MRAM”) arrays, which employ giant magnetoresistive (“GMR”) cells, or magnetic tunnel junction (“MTJ”) cells, at the intersections of bitlines and wordlines, and also to magnetic sensors such as magnetic data storage devices having access elements used to access data on a magnetic data storage medium.

公开(公告)号：US6104633A

公开(公告)日：2000-08-15

申请号：US21515

申请日：1998-02-10

申请人： David William Abraham ,  William Joseph Gallagher ,  Philip Louis Trouilloud

发明人： David William Abraham ,  William Joseph Gallagher ,  Philip Louis Trouilloud

IPC分类号： G11C11/15 ,  G11C11/16 ,  H01L21/8246 ,  H01L27/105 ,  H01L27/22 ,  H01L43/08 ,  G11C11/14

CPC分类号： H01L27/224 ,  G11C11/15 ,  G11C11/16

摘要： Magnetic memory cells include a changeable magnetic region with a magnetic axis along which two directions of magnetization can be imposed, thereby providing two respective states into which the cells are changeable according to electrical and resultant magnetic stimuli applied thereto. Asymmetry in the magnetic stimuli applied to the cell while writing a state therein is disclosed to provide a predictable magnetization pattern evolution from the first direction to the second direction. Physical asymmetry in the layout and/or magnetization of the cell is also disclosed which provides the predictable pattern evolution. These principles can be applied to magnetic random access memory (MRAM) arrays which employ magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) cells at the intersections of bitlines and wordlines which supply the electrical and resultant magnetic stimuli to write the cells therein.

公开(公告)号：US6072718A

公开(公告)日：2000-06-06

申请号：US021342

申请日：1998-02-10

申请人： David William Abraham ,  William Joseph Gallagher ,  Philip Louis Trouilloud

发明人： David William Abraham ,  William Joseph Gallagher ,  Philip Louis Trouilloud

IPC分类号： G11C11/15 ,  G11C11/16 ,  H01L21/8246 ,  H01L27/105 ,  H01L27/22 ,  H01L43/08

CPC分类号： H01L27/224 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  G11C11/15 ,  G11C11/16

摘要： Magnetic memory devices are disclosed having multiple magnetic tunnel junctions therein writable together into an average state. For example, a magnetic random access memory ("MRAM") array is disclosed having respective pluralities of crossing first and second electrically conductive lines forming a plurality of intersecting regions across the array. The array includes a plurality of magnetic memory cells, each disposed at a respective one of the plurality of intersecting regions. Each cell includes at least two magnetic tunnel junctions therein, writable together into an average state, according to electrical and resultant magnetic stimuli applied thereto via a respective first and second conductive line. The at least two magnetic tunnel junctions provided in each magnetic memory cell provide a predictable magnetic response for all cells across the array. Only the cell at an intersecting region selected by stimuli applied via each of the first and second electrically conductive lines forming the selected region is written, and other cells along the first and second electrically conductive lines forming the selected region are not written. An operating window of applied electrical and therefore magnetic stimuli can be defined to ensure cell selectivity across the memory array.

摘要翻译： 公开了磁记录装置，其中多个磁性隧道结可一起写入平均状态。 例如，公开了磁性随机存取存储器（“MRAM”）阵列，其具有跨越阵列的多个交叉的第一和第二导电线形成多个相交区域。 阵列包括多个磁存储单元，每个磁存储单元设置在多个交叉区域中的相应一个。 根据根据通过相应的第一和第二导线施加到其上的电和合成的磁刺激，每个电池包括至少两个磁性隧道结，可一起写入平均状态。 在每个磁存储单元中提供的至少两个磁性隧道结为阵列上的所有单元提供可预测的磁响应。 写入通过形成所选择的区域的第一导电线和第二导电线中的每一个施加的刺激而选择的相交区域上的单元，并且不写入沿着形成所选区域的第一导电线和第二导电线的其他单元。 可以定义施加的电和因此的磁刺激的操作窗口以确保存储器阵列上的单元选择性。

公开(公告)号：US06368878B1

公开(公告)日：2002-04-09

申请号：US09531715

申请日：2000-03-21

申请人： David William Abraham ,  William Joseph Gallagher ,  Philip Louis Trouilloud

发明人： David William Abraham ,  William Joseph Gallagher ,  Philip Louis Trouilloud

IPC分类号： H01L2100

CPC分类号： H01L27/224 ,  G11C11/15 ,  G11C11/16

摘要： Magnetic memory cells include a changeable magnetic region with a magnetic axis along which two directions of magnetization can be imposed, thereby providing two respective states into which the cells are changeable according to electrical and resultant magnetic stimuli applied thereto. Asymmetry in the magnetic stimuli applied to the cell while writing a state therein is disclosed to provide a predictable magnetization pattern evolution from the first direction to the second direction. Physical asymmetry in the layout and/or magnetization of the cell is also disclosed which provides the predictable pattern evolution. These principles can be applied to magnetic random access memory (MRAM) arrays which employ magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) cells at the intersections of bitlines and wordlines which supply the electrical and resultant magnetic stimuli to write the cells therein.

摘要翻译： 磁存储单元包括具有磁轴的可变磁性区域，通过该磁性区域可以施加两个磁化方向，从而提供两个相应的状态，电池可根据施加到其上的电和合成的磁刺激而变化。 公开了在写入状态时施加到单元的磁刺激中的不对称性以提供从第一方向到第二方向的可预测的磁化模式演变。 还公开了单元的布局和/或磁化的物理不对称性，其提供了可预测的图案演进。 这些原理可以应用于在位线和字线的交点处采用磁性隧道结（MTJ）单元的磁性随机存取存储器（MRAM）阵列，其提供电和由此产生的磁刺激以在其中写入单元。

公开(公告)号：US06226160B1

公开(公告)日：2001-05-01

申请号：US09293570

申请日：1999-04-15

申请人： William Joseph Gallagher ,  Stuart Stephen Papworth Parkin

发明人： William Joseph Gallagher ,  Stuart Stephen Papworth Parkin

IPC分类号： G11B539

CPC分类号： B82Y25/00 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  G11B5/3903 ,  G11B5/3909 ,  H01F10/3254 ,  H01F41/325

摘要： A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device has sufficiently small area to make it commercially practical as both a magnetic memory cell and a magnetoresistive read head. The small area magnetic tunnel junction device has both low resistance and high magnetoresistance. The magnetic tunnel junction device is made possible by the use of a thin aluminum layer in a thickness range of approximately 5-12 Angstroms. The Al layer is completely oxidized, without oxidizing the adjacent ferromagnetic layers, to form the insulating tunnel barrier layer of the MTJ.

摘要翻译： 磁性隧道结（MTJ）器件具有足够小的面积，使其在磁存储器单元和磁阻读取头两者中成为商业上实用的。 小面积磁隧道结器件具有低电阻和高磁阻。 通过使用大约5-12埃的厚度范围内的薄铝层，磁隧道结装置成为可能。 Al层完全氧化，而不氧化相邻的铁磁层，形成MTJ的绝缘隧道势垒层。

公开(公告)号：US5640343A

公开(公告)日：1997-06-17

申请号：US618004

申请日：1996-03-18

申请人： William Joseph Gallagher ,  James Harvey Kaufman ,  Stuart Stephen Papworth Parkin ,  Roy Edwin Scheuerlein

发明人： William Joseph Gallagher ,  James Harvey Kaufman ,  Stuart Stephen Papworth Parkin ,  Roy Edwin Scheuerlein

IPC分类号： G11C11/15 ,  G11C11/16 ,  H01L21/8246 ,  H01L27/22 ,  G11C13/00

CPC分类号： H01L27/224 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  G11C11/15 ,  G11C11/16

摘要： A nonvolatile magnetic random access memory (MRAM) is an array of individual magnetic memory cells. Each memory cell is a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) element and a diode electrically connected in series. Each MTJ is formed of a pinned ferromagnetic layer whose magnetization direction is prevented from rotating, a free ferromagnetic layer whose magnetization direction is free to rotate between states of parallel and antiparallel to the fixed magnetization of the pinned ferromagnetic layer, and an insulating tunnel barrier between and in contact with the two ferromagnetic layers. Each memory cell has a high resistance that is achieved in a very small surface area by controlling the thickness, and thus the electrical barrier height, of the tunnel barrier layer. The memory cells in the array are controlled by only two lines, and the write currents to change the magnetic state of an MTJ, by use of the write currents' inherent magnetic fields to rotate the magnetization of the free layer, do not pass through the tunnel barrier layer. All MTJ elements, diodes, and contacts are vertically arranged at the intersection regions of the two lines and between the two lines to minimize the total MRAM surface area. The power expended to read or sense the memory cell's magnetic state is reduced by the high resistance of the MTJ and by directing the sensing current through a single memory cell.

摘要翻译： 非易失磁性随机存取存储器（MRAM）是单个磁存储单元阵列。 每个存储单元是磁性隧道结（MTJ）元件和串联电连接的二极管。 每个MTJ由其磁化方向被阻止旋转的被钉扎的铁磁层形成，一个自由铁磁层，其磁化方向在被固定的铁磁层的固定磁化平行和反平行的状态之间自由旋转;以及绝缘隧道势垒 并与两个铁磁层接触。 每个存储单元具有通过控制隧道势垒层的厚度以及因此控制电势势垒高度而在非常小的表面积中实现的高电阻。 阵列中的存储单元仅由两条线控制，并且通过使用写入电流的固有磁场来旋转自由层的磁化，改变MTJ的磁状态的写入电流不会通过 隧道势垒层。 所有MTJ元件，二极管和触点垂直布置在两条线和两条线之间的交叉区域，以最小化总MRAM表面积。 消耗读取或感测存储单元的磁状态的功率被MTJ的高电阻降低，并通过将感测电流引导通过单个存储单元。

公开(公告)号：US5991193A

公开(公告)日：1999-11-23

申请号：US982995

申请日：1997-12-02

申请人： William Joseph Gallagher ,  Roy Edwin Scheuerlein

发明人： William Joseph Gallagher ,  Roy Edwin Scheuerlein

IPC分类号： G11C11/15 ,  G11C11/14

CPC分类号： G11C11/15

摘要： A nonvolatile memory array includes a substrate, a first plurality of electrically conductive traces formed on the substrate, a second plurality of electrically conductive traces formed on the substrate and overlapping the first plurality of traces at a plurality of intersection regions, and a plurality of memory cells formed on the substrate. Each memory cell is located at an intersection region between one of the first plurality of traces and one of the second plurality of traces and includes a bidirectionally conducting nonlinear resistance selection device and a magneto-resistive element electrically coupled in series with the selection device. The array is biased during a read operation by biasing a selected trace of a first plurality of electrically conductive traces at a first bias potential. All other traces of the first plurality of conductive traces are biased at a second bias potential. A selected trace of a second plurality of conductive traces is biased at a third bias potential. Lastly, all other traces of the second plurality of conductive traces are biased at the first bias potential.

摘要翻译： 非易失性存储器阵列包括衬底，形成在衬底上的第一多个导电迹线，形成在衬底上的第二多个导电迹线，并且在多个交叉区域与第一多个迹线重叠，以及多个存储器 在基底上形成的细胞。 每个存储器单元位于第一多个迹线中的一个与第二多个迹线中的一个之间的交叉区域，并且包括双向传导非线性电阻选择器件和与选择器件串联电耦合的磁阻元件。 通过在第一偏置电位偏置第一多个导电迹线的选定轨迹，在读取操作期间该阵列被偏置。 第一多个导电迹线中的所有其它迹线被偏置在第二偏置电位。 第二多个导电迹线的选定迹线被偏置在第三偏置电位。 最后，第二多个导电迹线中的所有其它迹线被偏置在第一偏置电位。

公开(公告)号：US5646095A

公开(公告)日：1997-07-08

申请号：US318576

申请日：1994-10-05

申请人： Walter Eidelloth ,  William Joseph Gallagher

发明人： Walter Eidelloth ,  William Joseph Gallagher

IPC分类号： H01L21/311 ,  H01L39/24 ,  H01L21/00

CPC分类号： H01L39/2467 ,  H01L21/31105 ,  Y10S505/728

摘要： A method for selectively etching insulative material composed of SrTiO3 or MgO in the presence of a copper oxide perovskite superconductive material includes treating the insulative material with a liquid selective etchant solution containing hydrogen fluoride in water for a period of time, the insulative material being etched at a substantially faster rate than the superconductive material etch rate, then treating the superconductive material exposed to the insulative selective with another etchant to remove a surface layer.

摘要翻译： 在氧化铜钙钛矿超导材料的存在下选择性地蚀刻由SrTiO 3或MgO组成的绝缘材料的方法包括用含氟化氢的液体选择性蚀刻剂溶液处理绝缘材料一段时间，绝缘材料被蚀刻在 比超导材料蚀刻速率快得多的速度，然后用另一种蚀刻剂处理暴露于绝缘选择性的超导材料以除去表面层。

公开(公告)号：US07506236B2

公开(公告)日：2009-03-17

申请号：US10856394

申请日：2004-05-28

申请人： William Joseph Gallagher ,  Daniel Christopher Worledge

发明人： William Joseph Gallagher ,  Daniel Christopher Worledge

IPC分类号： G11C29/00

CPC分类号： G11C11/16

摘要： Techniques for data storage are provided. In one aspect, a method for writing one or more magnetic memory cells comprises the following steps. Data is written to one or more of the magnetic memory cells. It is detected whether there are any errors in the data written to the one or more magnetic memory cells. The data is rewritten to each of the one or more previously written magnetic memory cells in which an error is detected.

摘要翻译： 提供数据存储技术。 一方面，一种写入一个或多个磁存储单元的方法包括以下步骤。 将数据写入一个或多个磁存储单元。 检测写入一个或多个磁存储单元的数据是否存在错误。 数据被重写到其中检测到错误的一个或多个先前写入的磁存储器单元中的每一个。