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公开(公告)号:US11793085B2
公开(公告)日:2023-10-17
申请号:US17445557
申请日:2021-08-20
Applicant: IMEC vzw
Inventor: Davide Francesco Crotti , Kevin Garello
Abstract: According to an aspect, there is provided a method of forming a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) device, including: forming a layer stack including an MTJ layer structure and a spin-orbit torque (SOT) layer below the MTJ layer structure; forming a first etch mask over the layer stack, the first etch mask including a first mask line extending in a first horizontal direction; patterning the layer stack to form an MTJ line extending in the first horizontal direction, the patterning including etching while the first etch mask masks the layer stack, and stopping etching on or above the SOT-layer; forming sidewall spacers on one or both sides of the MTJ line; while the sidewall spacers mask the SOT-layer, etching the SOT-layer to form a patterned layer stack including the MTJ line and a first patterned SOT-layer; forming a second etch mask over the patterned layer stack, the second etch mask including a second mask line extending in a second horizontal direction across the MTJ line; and patterning the patterned layer stack to form a twice patterned SOT-layer, the twice patterned SOT-layer including an SOT-line extending in the second horizontal direction, and to form an MTJ pillar on the SOT-line, the patterning including etching while the second etch mask masks the patterned layer stack.
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公开(公告)号:US20180190902A1
公开(公告)日:2018-07-05
申请号:US15857168
申请日:2017-12-28
Applicant: IMEC VZW
Inventor: Kevin Garello , Siddharth Rao
CPC classification number: H01L43/12 , G11C11/161 , H01L27/226 , H01L43/02 , H01L43/08
Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to magnetic devices, and more particularly to magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) devices, and methods of forming the MTJ devices. In one aspect, a method of forming a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device comprises providing a stack of layers comprising, in a top-down direction, a first magnetic layer having a fixed magnetization direction, a barrier layer, and a second magnetic layer having a switchable magnetization direction with respect to the fixed magnetization direction of the first magnetic layer. The method additionally comprises etching the stack of layers to form a pillar comprising at least the first magnetic layer. The method additionally comprises forming at least one trench in the second magnetic layer adjacent the pillar. The method further comprises processing at least one region of the second magnetic layer peripheral to the at least one trench with respect to the pillar, such that the at least one region obtains an in-plane magnetic anisotropy.
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公开(公告)号:US11842758B2
公开(公告)日:2023-12-12
申请号:US17546553
申请日:2021-12-09
Applicant: IMEC VZW , Katholieke Universiteit Leuven KU LEUVEN R&D
Inventor: Mohit Gupta , Kevin Garello , Manu Komalan Perumkunnil
IPC: G11C11/16
CPC classification number: G11C11/1673 , G11C11/1655 , G11C11/1657 , G11C11/1675
Abstract: According to an aspect there is provided a memory cell. The memory cell comprises: a first and a second electrode; a spin-orbit-torque, SOT, layer comprising a first and a second electrode contact portion arranged in contact with the first and the second electrode, respectively, and an intermediate portion between the first and second electrode contact portions; a first magnetic tunnel junction, MTJ, layer stack arranged in contact with the intermediate portion; and a second MTJ layer stack arranged in contact with the second electrode contact portion and directly above the second electrode.
A memory device comprising such a memory cell and a method for writing to such a memory cell are also provided.-
公开(公告)号:US20220059760A1
公开(公告)日:2022-02-24
申请号:US17445557
申请日:2021-08-20
Applicant: IMEC vzw
Inventor: Davide Francesco Crotti , Kevin Garello
Abstract: According to an aspect, there is provided a method of forming a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) device, including: forming a layer stack including an MTJ layer structure and a spin-orbit torque (SOT) layer below the MTJ layer structure; forming a first etch mask over the layer stack, the first etch mask including a first mask line extending in a first horizontal direction; patterning the layer stack to form an MTJ line extending in the first horizontal direction, the patterning including etching while the first etch mask masks the layer stack, and stopping etching on or above the SOT-layer; forming sidewall spacers on one or both sides of the MTJ line; while the sidewall spacers mask the SOT-layer, etching the SOT-layer to form a patterned layer stack including the MTJ line and a first patterned SOT-layer; forming a second etch mask over the patterned layer stack, the second etch mask including a second mask line extending in a second horizontal direction across the MTJ line; and patterning the patterned layer stack to form a twice patterned SOT-layer, the twice patterned SOT-layer including an SOT-line extending in the second horizontal direction, and to form an MTJ pillar on the SOT-line, the patterning including etching while the second etch mask masks the patterned layer stack.
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公开(公告)号:US11585874B2
公开(公告)日:2023-02-21
申请号:US16855403
申请日:2020-04-22
Applicant: IMEC vzw
Inventor: Johan Swerts , Kevin Garello
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.
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公开(公告)号:US11165013B2
公开(公告)日:2021-11-02
申请号:US16720517
申请日:2019-12-19
Applicant: IMEC vzw
Inventor: Kevin Garello , Gouri Sankar Kar
Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to magnetic devices and more particularly to magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) devices in which switching can be mediated by spin-orbit torque, and further relates to a method of fabricating such devices. In an aspect, a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device includes a spin-orbit torque (SOT) mediating layer, a hard-mask layer used to define a shape of the SOT layer, a magnetic tunnel junction arranged between the SOT layer and the hard-mask layer. The MTJ includes at least a free layer and a reference layer separated by a non-magnetic barrier layer. The device further includes at least two electrical accesses arranged to contact the SOT layer to pass a write current therethrough. To provide field-free switching of the free layer, the device further includes a ferromagnetic element as at least one of a ferromagnetic sublayer of the hard-mask and a material in the electrical accesses.
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公开(公告)号:US11004490B2
公开(公告)日:2021-05-11
申请号:US16716024
申请日:2019-12-16
Applicant: IMEC vzw , Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Inventor: Sushil Sakhare , Kevin Garello , Mohit Gupta , Manu Komalan Perumkunnil
Abstract: The disclosed technology relates generally to magnetic random access memory, and more particularly to spin-orbit-torque (SOT) magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM). According to an aspect, a MRAM device comprises a first transistor, a second transistor, and a resistive memory element. The resistive memory element comprises a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) pillar arranged between a top electrode and bottom electrode having a first terminal and a second terminal. According to another aspect, a method of using the MRAM device is disclosed.
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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
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.
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