Spin hall effect memory

摘要

An embodiment of the invention includes a memory cell having a magnet layer coupled to a metal layer and read line. The metal layer is also coupled to write and sense lines. During a write operation charge current is supplied to the metal layer via the write line and induces spin current and a magnetic state within the magnet layer based on the spin Hall effect. During a read operation read current is supplied, via the read line, to the magnet layer and then the metal layer and induces another spin current, within the metal layer, that generates an electric field and voltage, based on inverse spin Hall effect, at a sense node coupled to the sense line. The voltage polarity is based on the aforementioned magnetic state. The memory operates with a low supply voltage to drive charge, read, and spin currents. Other embodiments are described herein.

主权项

1. A memory cell comprising:
a substrate; a metal layer on the substrate; and a ferromagnetic layer directly contacting the metal layer; wherein (a) there is not a second ferromagnetic layer directly contacting the metal layer, and (b) the metal layer comprises at least one noble metal and at least one transition metal; wherein the metal layer has a metal layer thickness, a metal layer length, and a metal layer width, the ferromagnetic layer has a ferromagnetic layer thickness, a ferromagnetic layer length, and a ferromagnetic layer width that is longer than the ferromagnetic layer length, and the ferromagnetic layer length is shorter than the metal layer length.