MAGNETIC TUNNEL JUNCTION (MTJ) DEVICES PARTICULARLY SUITED FOR EFFICIENT SPIN-TORQUE-TRANSFER (STT) MAGNETIC RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY (MRAM) (STT MRAM)

摘要

Magnetic Tunnel Junction (MTJ) devices particularly suited for efficient spin-torque-transfer (STT) magnetic random access memory (MRAM) (STT MRAM) are disclosed. In one aspect, a MTJ structure with a reduced thickness first pinned layer (312) provided below a tunnel magneto-resistance (TMR) barrier layer (308) is provided. The first pinned layer (312) provided below the TMR barrier layer includes one pinned layer (312) magnetized in only one magnetic orientation (318). A second pinned layer (318) and a spacer layer (322) are provided above a free layer (310) and the TMR barrier layer (308) in the MTJ. The second pinned layer (318) is magnetized in a magnetic orientation (320) that is antiparallel to that (316) of the first pinned layer (312). In yet another aspect, a giant magneto-resistance (GMR) spacer layer is provided as the spacer layer between the second pinned layer and the free layer in the MTJ.