High speed STT-MRAM with orthogonal pinned layer

摘要

A STTMRAM element includes a magnetization layer made of a first free layer and a second free layer, separated by a non-magnetic separation layer (NMSL), with the first and second free layers each having in-plane magnetizations that act on each other through anti-parallel coupling. The direction of the magnetization of the first and second free layers each is in-plane prior to the application of electrical current to the STTMRAM element and thereafter, the direction of magnetization of the second free layer becomes substantially titled out-of-plane and the direction of magnetization of the first free layer switches. Upon electrical current being discontinued to the STTMRAM element, the direction of magnetization of the second free layer remains in a direction that is substantially opposite to that of the first free layer.

主权项

1. A spin-transfer torque magnetic random access memory (STTMRAM) element configured to store a state when electrical current is applied thereto, the STTMRAM element comprising:
a. a fixed layer with magnetization pinned in the plane of the fixed layer; b. a barrier layer formed on top of the fixed layer; c. a free layer (FL) formed on top of the barrier layer and having in-plane magnetization; d. a junction layer (JL) formed on top of the FL; e. a perpendicular reference layer (PRL) formed on top of the JL with magnetization in a direction perpendicular to the magnetization of the fixed layer, the PRL including a first pinned layer (PL) and a second pinned layer (PL) separated from one another by a top separator layer (TSL), where the magnetization directions of the first pinned layer and the second pinned are anti-parallel relative to each other, the direction of the magnetization of the FL being in-plane prior to the application of electrical current.