Memory cell with Schottky diode

摘要

Memory cell comprising two conductors, with a serially connected magnetic storage element and a Schottky diode between the two conductors. The Schottky diode provides a unidirectional conductive path between the two conductors and through the element. The Schottky diode is formed between a metal layer in one of the two conductors and a processed junction layer. Methods for process and for operation of the memory cell are also disclosed. The memory cell using the Schottky diode can be designed for high speed operation and with high density of integration. Advantageously, the junction layer can also be used as a hard mask for defining the individual magnetic storage element in the memory cell. The memory cell is particularly useful for magnetic random access memory (MRAM) circuits.

主权项

1. An addressable memory cell comprising:
a first conductor; a second conductor; and a serially connected magnetic storage element and a Schottky diode, between said two conductors, wherein said Schottky diode replaces an address transistor of a conventional memory cell to enable reading of said storage element without activating an address transistor associated with said cell and provides a unidirectional conductive path between said two conductors and through said element, said diode being disposed according to one of the following two configurations:
(i) between said first conductor and said element in a first configuration, wherein said diode comprises a junction between a first metal layer and a first junction layer, wherein said first conductor comprises said first metal layer, and(ii) between said second conductor and said element in a second configuration, wherein said diode comprises a junction between a second metal layer and a second junction layer, wherein said second conductor comprises said second metal layer.