ELECTRIC FIELD ENHANCED SPIN TRANSFER TORQUE MEMORY (STTM) DEVICE

摘要

Spin transfer torque memory (STTM) devices incorporating a field plate for application of an electric field to reduce a critical current required for transfer torque induced magnetization switching. Embodiments utilize not only current-induced magnetic filed or spin transfer torque, but also electric field induced manipulation of magnetic dipole orientation to set states in a magnetic device element (e.g., to write to a memory element). An electric field generated by a voltage differential between an MTJ electrode and the field plate applies an electric field to a free magnetic layer of a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) to modulate one or more magnetic properties over at least a portion of the free magnetic layer.

主权项

1. An electric field enhanced spin torque transfer memory device, comprising:
a first electrode and a second electrode; a fixed magnetic layer and a free magnetic layer disposed between the first and second electrodes, with a tunneling layer further disposed between the fixed and free magnetic layers; a dielectric layer adjacent to the free magnetic layer; and a field plate separated from the free magnetic layer by the dielectric layer.