Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
360324200 | Having tunnel junction effect | 45 |
20080212242 | Method for preventing TMR MRR drop of a slider and method for manufacturing sliders - The invention provides a method for preventing TMR MRR drop of a slider, including: positioning a row bar constructed by sliders on a tray, each slider incorporating a TMR element; loading the tray into a processing chamber and evacuating the processing chamber to a predetermined pressure; forming a first etching means; exposing the sliders to the first etching means such that an oxide layer is formed on a surface of the TMR element; forming a second etching means; and exposing the sliders to the second etching means such that the oxide layer is etched to get a reduced thickness. The invention also discloses a method for manufacturing sliders. | 09-04-2008 |
20080212243 | AP1 layer for TMR device - A TMR read head with improved voltage breakdown is formed by laying down the AP1 layer as two or more layers. Each AP1 sub-layer is exposed to a low energy plasma for a short time before the next layer is deposited. This results in a smooth surface, onto which to deposit the tunneling barrier layer, with no disruption of the surface crystal structure of the completed AP1 layer. | 09-04-2008 |
20080218913 | TUNNELING MAGNETORESISTIVE ELEMENT WHICH INCLUDES Mg-O BARRIER LAYER AND IN WHICH NONMAGNETIC METAL SUBLAYER IS DISPOSED IN ONE OF MAGNETIC LAYERS - In a tunneling magnetoresistive element, an insulating barrier layer is made of Mg—O, and a first pinned magnetic layer has a laminated structure in which a nonmagnetic metal sublayer made of Ta is interposed between a lower ferromagnetic sublayer and an upper ferromagnetic sublayer. The nonmagnetic metal sublayer has an average thickness of about 1 Å or more and about 5 Å or less. | 09-11-2008 |
20080225443 | TUNNELING MAGNETIC SENSING ELEMENT AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAME - A free magnetic layer has a laminated structure in which a first magnetic sublayer composed of Co—Fe or Fe and a second magnetic sublayer composed of Co—Fe—B or Fe—B are formed, in that order, on an insulating barrier layer composed of Mg—O. This effectively improves the rate of change in resistance (ΔR/R) compared with the related art. | 09-18-2008 |
20080232002 | MRAM TUNNEL BARRIER STRUCTURE AND METHODS - A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure is of the type having a tunnel barrier positioned between a fixed ferromagnetic layer and a free ferromagnetic layer, the tunnel barrier includes a first barrier layer contacting either the fixed ferromagnetic layer or the free ferromagnetic layer. The first barrier layer transmits a high spin polarization and is selected from the group consisting of metal oxides, metal nitrides, and metal oxynitrides. The second barrier layer, which contacts the first barrier layer, has a low barrier height and is selected from the group consisting of metal oxides, metal nitrides, and metal oxynitrides. | 09-25-2008 |
20080247096 | MAGNETIC MEMORY AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - A magnetic memory including a stack, a first writing wire, and a second writing wire is provided. The stack includes a magnetic pinned layer, a tunnel barrier insulating layer, and a magnetic free layer, so as to form a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ). The MTJ has an easy axis. The first writing wire is disposed under the stack. The included angle between the first writing wire and the easy axis of the MTJ is smaller than 45 degrees and greater than 0 degrees on a projected plane. The second writing wire is disposed above the stack. The included angle between the second writing wire and the easy axis of the MTJ is smaller than 45 degrees and greater than 0 degrees on the projected plane. | 10-09-2008 |
20080253038 | Tunneling magnetic sensor including free magnetic layer and magnesium protective layer disposed thereon and method for manufacturing tunneling magnetoresistive sensor - A tunneling magnetic sensor includes a pinned magnetic layer of which the magnetization is pinned in one direction, an insulating barrier layer, and a free magnetic layer of which the magnetization is varied by an external magnetic field, these layers being arranged in that order from the bottom. A first protective layer made of magnesium (Mg) is disposed on the free magnetic layer. The tunneling magnetic sensor has a larger change in reluctance as compared to conventional magnetic sensors including no first protective layers or including first protective layers made of Al, Ti, Cu, or an Ir—Mn alloy. The free magnetic layer has lower magnetostriction as compared to free magnetic layers included in the conventional magnetic sensors. | 10-16-2008 |
20080253039 | MAGNETORESISTIVE EFFECT ELEMENT - A magnetoresistive effect element includes a first ferromagnetic layer formed above a substrate, a second ferromagnetic layer formed above the first ferromagnetic layer, an insulating layer interposed between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer and formed of a metal oxide, and a first nonmagnetic metal layer interposed between the insulating layer and the second ferromagnetic layer and in contact with a surface of the insulating layer on the side of the second ferromagnetic layer, the first nonmagnetic metal layer containing the same metal element as the metal oxide. | 10-16-2008 |
20080291584 | Magnetic Tunnel Junctions Including Crystalline and Amorphous Tunnel Barrier Materials - Magnetic tunnel junctions are disclosed that include ferromagnetic (or ferrimagnetic) materials and a bilayer tunnel barrier structure. The bilayer includes a crystalline material, such as MgO or Mg—ZnO, and Al | 11-27-2008 |
20080316656 | Magnetic head and method of manufacturing the magnetic head - Embodiments of the present invention provide a magnetic head suitable for high density recording at a high yield by reducing the thickness of an air-bearing surface protection layer of a magnetic head and suppressing reduction in the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of a read element. According to one embodiment, a read element of a magnetic head has a magnetoresistive effect film (TMR film) between a lower magnetic shield layer and an upper magnetic shield layer, and has a refill film and a magnetic domain control film in both sides of the TMR film. The TMR film is configured by a lower metal layer, an antiferromagnetic layer, a ferromagnetic pinned layer, an intermediate layer, a ferromagnetic free layer, and an upper metal layer. An air-bearing surface protection layer, including a silicon nitride film about 2.0 nm in thickness, is formed on a recording medium facing surface of the TMR film. Since silicon in the silicon nitride film is inactivated by nitrogen, the silicon does not damage the TMR film. Therefore, noise of the read element can be controlled to be at a low level. | 12-25-2008 |
20090027810 | High performance MTJ element for STT-RAM and method for making the same - We describe the structure and method of forming a STT-MTJ MRAM cell that utilizes transfer of spin angular momentum as a mechanism for changing the magnetic moment direction of a free layer. The device includes an IrMn pinning layer, a SyAP pinned layer, a naturally oxidized, crystalline MgO tunneling barrier layer that is formed on an Ar-ion plasma smoothed surface of the pinned layer and, in one embodiment, a free layer that comprises an amorphous layer of Co | 01-29-2009 |
20090027811 | Spin transfer MRAM device with reduced coefficient of MTJ resistance variation - We describe the manufacturing process for and structure of a CPP MTJ MRAM unit cell that utilizes transfer of spin angular momentum as a mechanism for changing the magnetic moment direction of a free layer. The cell is formed of a vertically or horizontally series connected sequence of N sub-cells, each sub-cell being an MTJ element. A statistical population of such multiple sub-cell unit cells has a variation of resistance that is less by a factor of N | 01-29-2009 |
20090059443 | Magnetoresistive element including insulating film touching periphery of spacer layer - An MR element includes a stack of layers including a first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer, and a spacer layer disposed between the first and the second ferromagnetic layer. The stack of layers has an outer surface, and the spacer layer has a periphery located in the outer surface of the stack of layers. The magnetoresistive element further includes an insulating film that touches the periphery of the spacer layer. The spacer layer includes a layer made of an oxide semiconductor composed of an oxide of a first metal. The insulating film includes a contact film that touches the periphery of the spacer layer and that is made of an oxide of a second metal having a Pauling electronegativity lower than that of the first metal by 0.1 or more. | 03-05-2009 |
20090086384 | MAGNETO-RESISTANCE EFFECT ELEMENT INCLUDING FERROMAGNETIC LAYER HAVING GRANULAR STRUCTURE - A magneto-resistance effect element of the present invention comprises: a pair of ferromagnetic layers whose magnetization directions change in accordance with an external magnetic field, each of the pair of ferromagnetic layers having a granular structure in which a large number of magnetic grains are distributed within a nonmagnetic matrix material; a conductive nonmagnetic intermediate layer sandwiched between the pair of ferromagnetic layers; and a bias magnetic field applying layer for exerting magnetic force on the pair of ferromagnetic layers. The matrix material in the pair of ferromagnetic layer contains conductive material. Moreover, another magneto-resistance effect element of the present invention includes: a pair of ferromagnetic layers whose magnetization directions change in accordance with an external magnetic field, each of the pair of ferromagnetic layers having a granular structure in which a large number of magnetic grains are distributed within a nonmagnetic matrix material; an insulating nonmagnetic intermediate layer sandwiched between the pair of ferromagnetic layers; and a bias magnetic field applying layer for exerting magnetic force on the pair of ferromagnetic layers. The matrix material in the pair of ferromagnetic layers contains a metallic oxide, and contains the same material as that of the insulating nonmagnetic intermediate layer. | 04-02-2009 |
20090091863 | MAGNETORESISTIVE ELEMENT - A magnetoresistive element includes a first electrode layer, a first fixed layer provided on the first electrode layer and having a fixed magnetization direction, a first intermediate layer provided on the first fixed layer and made of a metal oxide, a free layer provided on the first intermediate layer and having a variable magnetization direction, and a second electrode layer provided on the free layer. At least one of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer contains a conductive metal oxide. | 04-09-2009 |
20090097169 | MAGNETIC SENSOR, MAGNETIC FIELD SENSING METHOD, SEMAGNETIC RECORDING HEAD, AND MAGNETIC MEMORY DEVICE - A magnetic sensor includes a magnetoresistance element having a peak of a thermal fluctuation strength of magnetization under a magnetic field having a certain frequency, a frequency filter connected to the magnetoresistance element and having its transmittance decreased or increased in substantially the frequency of the magnetic field to output a signal corresponding substantially to the peak of the thermal fluctuation strength of magnetization, and a detector connected to the frequency filter to detect the magnetic field based on the signal of the frequency filter. | 04-16-2009 |
20090109579 | MAGNETIC RECORDING MEDIUM, MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF AND MAGNETIC STORAGE APPARATUS - A magnetic recording medium has a substrate, a first granular layer formed on the substrate, the first granular layer having a plurality of a first magnetic grains and a first oxide for separating the plurality of first magnetic grains from one another. A non-magnetic layer is formed on the first granular layer. The second granular layer is formed on the non-magnetic layer which has a plurality of second magnetic grains and a second oxide for separating the plurality of second magnetic grains from one another. The anisotropic magnetic field of the first granular layer is more intensive than that of the second granular layer. | 04-30-2009 |
20090122450 | TMR device with low magnetostriction free layer - A high performance TMR sensor is fabricated by employing a free layer comprised of CoB | 05-14-2009 |
20090128966 | MAGNETIC MEMORY CELL BASED ON A MAGNETIC TUNNEL JUNCTION(MTJ) WITH LOW SWITCHING FIELD SHAPES - Embodiments of the invention magnetic memory device, comprising: a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) which includes a Magnetic Tunnel Junction (MTJ) stack which has one of a crescent-shaped profile and an elbow-shaped profile in cross-section. | 05-21-2009 |
20090141409 | SPIN FILTER SPINTRONIC DEVICES - A spin filter transistor having a semiconductor structure. A spin injector including a first spin filter tunnel barrier is positioned on the semiconductor structure. A spin detector including a second spin filter tunnel barrier is positioned on the semiconductor. Highly polarized spins injected from the spin injector are transported through the semiconductor structure, and are detected at the spin detector. The magnitude of the spin current depends on the relative magnetic alignment of the first spin filter tunnel barrier and the second spin filter tunnel barrier. | 06-04-2009 |
20090141410 | CURRENT-PERPENDICULAR-TO-THE-PLANE STRUCTURE MAGNETORESISTIVE ELEMENT AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME AND STORAGE APPARATUS - An electrically-conductive or insulating non-magnetic intermediate layer is inserted between a free magnetic layer and a pinned magnetic layer in a current-perpendicular-to-the-plane (CPP) structure magnetoresistive element. At least one of the free magnetic layer and the pinned magnetic layer is made of a nitrided magnetic metal alloy. This nitrided magnetic layers allows the CPP structure magnetoresistive element to enjoy an increased magnetoresistance change (ΔRA). In addition, the saturation magnetic flux density (Bs) decreases in a nitrided magnetic metal alloy. The inversion of magnetization is thus easily caused in the low Bs magnetic layer. The detection sensitivity of the CPP structure magnetoresistive element is improved. The CPP structure magnetoresistive element is thus allowed to detect magnetic bit data with higher accuracy. | 06-04-2009 |
20090161267 | FERROMAGNETIC TUNNEL JUNCTION DEVICE, MAGNETIC HEAD, AND MAGNETIC STORAGE DEVICE - According to an aspect of an embodiment, a ferromagnetic tunnel junction device includes: a first pinned magnetic member including a ferromagnetic material having a boron atom; a second pinned magnetic member including a ferromagnetic material on the first pinned magnetic member, the content of the boron atom in the second pinned member being smaller than that in the first pinned member; and a first free magnetic member superposed with respect to the second pinned layer, including a ferromagnetic material. The ferromagnetic tunnel junction device further includes: an insulating layer between the second pinned magnetic layer and the first free magnetic layer; and a second free magnetic member including a ferromagnetic material having a boron atom on the first free magnetic member, the content of the boron atom in the second free member being smaller than that in the first free member. | 06-25-2009 |
20090168267 | CURRENT-PERPENDICULAR-TO-PLANE (CPP) READ SENSOR WITH MULTIPLE REFERENCE LAYERS - A current-to-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) read sensor with multiple reference layers and associated fabrication methods are disclosed. According to one embodiment of the invention, the multiple reference layers of a CPP tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) read sensor includes a first reference layer formed by a ferromagnetic polycrystalline Co—Fe film, a second reference layer formed by a ferromagnetic substitute-type amorphous Co—Fe—X film where X is Hf, Zr or Y, and a third reference layer formed by a ferromagnetic interstitial-type amorphous Co—Fe—B film. The first reference layer facilitates the CPP TMR read sensor to exhibit high exchange and antiparallel-coupling fields. The second reference layer provides a thermally stable flat surface, thus facilitating the CPP TMR read sensor to exhibit a low ferromagnetic-coupling field. The multiple reference layers may induce spin-dependent scattering, thus facilitating the CPP TMR sensor to exhibit a high TMR coefficient. | 07-02-2009 |
20090168268 | Dedicated noncorrosive smear detector - A disk drive head slider for a magnetic disk drive is provided. The head slider includes a tunnel magnetic resistance device for reading data on a magnetic disk and a dedicated noncorrosive smear detector for measuring resistance wherein the resistance corresponds to a level of smear associated with the head slider. | 07-02-2009 |
20090174971 | CPP-TYPE MAGNETO RESISTIVE EFFECT ELEMENT HAVING A PAIR OF MAGNETIC LAYERS - A magnetoresistance effect element comprises: a pair of magnetic layers whose magnetization directions form a relative angle therebetween that is variable depending on an external magnetic field; and a crystalline spacer layer sandwiched between the pair of magnetic layers; wherein sense current may flow in a direction that is perpendicular to a film plane of the pair of magnetic layers and the spacer layer. The spacer layer includes a crystalline oxide, and either or both magnetic layers whose magnetization direction is variable depending on the external magnetic field has a layer configuration in which a CoFeB layer is sandwiched between a CoFe layer and a NiFe layer and is positioned between the spacer layer and the NiFe layer. | 07-09-2009 |
20090213503 | MAGNETIC TUNNEL JUNCTION DEVICE - A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) ( | 08-27-2009 |
20090244791 | CURRENT-PERPENDICULAR-TO-PLANE (CPP) READ SENSOR WITH MULTIPLE FERROMAGNETIC SENSE LAYERS - The invention provides a current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) or giant magnetoresistance (GMR) read sensor with multiple ferromagnetic sense layers. In one embodiment of the invention, a CPP TMR read sensor comprises a first sense layer formed by a ferromagnetic polycrystalline Co—Fe film, a second sense layer formed by a ferromagnetic interstitial-type amorphous Co—Fe— B film, a third sense layer formed by a ferromagnetic substitute-type amorphous Co—Fe—X film where X is Hf, Zr or Y, and a fourth sense layer formed by a ferromagnetic Ni—Fe film. The third sense layer acts as a diffusion barrier layer to suppress Ni diffusion, thus allowing the incorporation of the Ni—Fe fourth sense layer for improving ferromagnetic properties of the multiple sense layers. The multiple sense layers induce spin-dependent scattering, thus facilitating the CPP TMR read sensor to exhibit a strong TMR effect. | 10-01-2009 |
20090257151 | Thin seeded Co/Ni multilayer film with perpendicular anisotropy for spintronic device applications - A spin valve structure for a spintronic device is disclosed and includes a composite seed layer made of at least Ta and a metal layer having a fcc(111) or hcp(001) texture to enhance perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) in an overlying (Co/Ni) | 10-15-2009 |
20090262467 | MAGENTIC JUNCTION MEMORY ARRAY - A magnetic junction memory array and methods of using the same are described. The magnetic junction memory array includes a plurality of electrically conductive word lines extending in a first direction, a plurality of electrically conductive bit lines extending in a second direction and forming a cross-point array with the plurality of electrically conductive word lines, and a memory cell proximate to, at least selected, cross-points forming a magnetic junction memory array. Each memory cell includes a magnetic pinned layer electrically between a magnetic bit and an isolation transistor. The isolation transistor has a current source and a gate. The current source is electrically coupled to the cross-point bit line and the gate is electrically coupled to the cross-point word line. An electrically conductive cover layer is disposed on and in electrical communication with the magnetic bits. | 10-22-2009 |
20090268351 | TUNNEL MAGNETORESISTANCE (TMR) STRUCTURES WITH MGO BARRIER AND METHODS OF MAKING SAME - A method in one embodiment includes forming a first layer of magnesium above at least one of a free layer and a reference layer; exposing the first layer of magnesium to an oxidizing environment for causing oxidation of the first layer of magnesium; forming a second layer of magnesium above the oxidized first layer of magnesium; and exposing the second layer of magnesium to the oxidizing environment for causing oxidation of the second layer of magnesium. A system in one embodiment includes a free layer; and a tunnel barrier layer having microstructure and composition characteristic of in situ natural oxidation of magnesium. Additional systems and methods are also presented. | 10-29-2009 |
20090296286 | CURRENT-PERPENDICULAR-TO-PLANE (CPP) READ SENSOR WITH SMOOTHENED MULTIPLE REFERENCE LAYERS - A current-to-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) read sensor with multiple reference layers and associated fabrication methods are disclosed. According to one embodiment, the multiple reference layers of a CPP read sensor include a first reference layer (e.g., Co—Fe) formed by a ferromagnetic polycrystalline film, a second reference layer (e.g., Co—Fe—Hf) formed by a ferromagnetic amorphous film, a third reference layer (e.g., Co—Fe—B) formed by a ferromagnetic amorphous film, and a fourth reference layer (e.g., Co—Fe) formed by a ferromagnetic polycrystalline film. A plasma treatment is applied to the fourth reference layer for surface smoothening, and no replenishment is needed as long as the fourth reference layer is not completely removed after the plasma treatment. The fourth reference layer protects the surface of the third reference layer from spin polarization deterioration caused by the plasma treatment, thereby maintaining a strong TMR or GMR effect. | 12-03-2009 |
20090316309 | HYBRID TRACKWIDTH READ ELEMENT - A magneto-resistive (MR) device for reading at least one of a legacy data signal and a present data signal magnetically recorded on at least one legacy track and a least one present track, respectively, is provided. The device comprises first and second MR elements, and first, second, and third permanent magnets. The first MR read element is positioned between the first and the second permanent magnets to stabilize the first MR read element while reading the legacy data signal from the media. The second MR element is positioned adjacent to the second permanent magnet and configured to read the present data signal from the media. The third permanent magnet is positioned adjacent to the second MR element and opposite to the second permanent magnet. The second and the third permanent magnets cooperate with each other to stabilize the second MR read element while reading the present data signal from the media. | 12-24-2009 |
20100053822 | STRAM CELLS WITH AMPERE FIELD ASSISTED SWITCHING - A magnetic tunnel junction cell that has a ferromagnetic pinned layer, a ferromagnetic free layer, and a non-magnetic barrier layer therebetween. The free layer has a larger area than the pinned layer, in some embodiments at least twice the size of the pinned layer, in some embodiments at least three times the size of the pinned layer, and in yet other embodiments at least four times the size of the pinned layer. The pinned layer is offset from the center of the free layer. The free layer has a changeable vortex magnetization, changeable between clockwise and counterclockwise directions. | 03-04-2010 |
20100053823 | MAGNETORESISTIVE ELEMENT AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME - A magnetoresistive element includes a stack formed by sequentially stacking a first fixed layer in which a magnetization direction is fixed, a first nonmagnetic layer, a free layer in which a magnetization direction is changeable, a second nonmagnetic layer, and a second fixed layer in which a magnetization direction is fixed, a first circumferential wall provided on the second nonmagnetic layer in contact with a circumferential surface of the second fixed layer to surround the second fixed layer, and made of an insulator, and a second circumferential wall provided on the first nonmagnetic layer in contact with a circumferential surface of the free layer to surround the free layer, and made of an insulator. | 03-04-2010 |
20100073827 | TMR device with novel free layer structure - A TMR sensor that includes a free layer having at least one B-containing (BC) layer made of CoFeB, CoFeBM, CoB, COBM, or CoBLM, and a plurality of non-B containing (NBC) layers made of CoFe, CoFeM, or CoFeLM is disclosed where L and M are one of Ni, Ta, Ti, W, Zr, Hf, Tb, or Nb. One embodiment is represented by (NBC/BC) | 03-25-2010 |
20100097730 | SPIN HIGH-FREQUENCY MIXER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF - A spin high-frequency mixer includes a spin current generator generating a spin current upon input of a local oscillator signal, a TMR device which inputs a high-frequency signal and the spin current and generates a mixed signal, and an output device outputting the generated mixed signal from the TMR device. | 04-22-2010 |
20100177448 | High SNR CPP Reader Using High Frequency Standing Wave Interference Detection - An apparatus includes a current perpendicular to the plane sensing element, a DC current source connected to the sensing element, a microwave AC current source connected to supply AC current to the sensing element, and a detector for measuring a voltage representative of phase difference between the AC current and AC voltage across the multilayer structure when the sensing element is subjected to a magnetic field. A method for sensing a magnetic field is also provided. | 07-15-2010 |
20100302689 | Bio-sensor with hard-direction field - A magnetic sensor for identifying small magnetic particles bound to a substrate includes a regular, planar orthogonal array of MTJ cells formed within or beneath that substrate. Each MTJ cell has a high aspect ratio and positions of stable magnetic equilibrium along an easy magnetic axis and positions of unstable magnetic equilibrium along a hard magnetic axis. By initializing the magnetizations of each MTJ cell in its unstable hard-axis position, the presence of even a small magnetic particle can exert a sufficient perturbative strayfield to tip the magnetization to its stable position. The magnetization change in an MTJ cell can be measured after each of two successive opposite polarity magnetizations of a bound particle and the presence of the particle thereby detected. | 12-02-2010 |
20110007430 | Static Magnetic Field Assisted Resistive Sense Element - Apparatus and associated method for writing data to a non-volatile memory cell, such as spin-torque transfer random access memory (STRAM). In accordance with some embodiments, a resistive sense element (RSE) has a heat assist region, magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ), and pinned region. When a first logical state is written to the MTJ with a spin polarized current, the pinned and heat assist regions each have a substantially zero net magnetic moment. When a second logical state is written to the MTJ with a static magnetic field, the pinned region has a substantially zero net magnetic moment and the heat assist region has a non-zero net magnetic moment. | 01-13-2011 |
20110063758 | Spin filter junction and method of fabricating the same - A magnetic tunnel junction having a first electrode separated from a second electrode by a tunneling barrier is provided. The tunneling barrier is a ferromagnetic insulator that provides a spin dependent barrier energy for tunneling. The first electrode includes a ferromagnetic, electrically conductive layer. Electrons emitted from the first electrode toward the tunneling barrier are partially or completely spin-polarized according to the magnetization of the ferromagnetic electrode layer. The electrical resistance of the tunnel junction depends on the relative orientation of the electrode layer magnetization and the tunneling barrier magnetization. Such tunnel junctions are widely applicable to spintronic devices, such as spin valves, magnetic tunnel junctions, spin switches, spin valve transistors, spin filters, and to spintronic applications such as magnetic recording, magnetic random access memory, ultrasensitive magnetic field sensing (including magnetic biosensing), spin injection and spin detection. | 03-17-2011 |
20110096443 | MTJ incorporating CoFe/Ni multilayer film with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy for MRAM application - A MTJ for a spintronic device is disclosed and includes a thin composite seed layer made of at least Ta and a metal layer having fcc(111) or hcp(001) texture as in Ta/Ti/Cu to enhance perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) in an overlying laminated layer with a (CoFe/Ni) | 04-28-2011 |
20110102948 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING DUAL MAGNETIC TUNNELING JUNCTIONS USABLE IN SPIN TRANSFER TORQUE MAGNETIC MEMORIES - A method and system for providing a magnetic junction usable in a magnetic memory are described. The magnetic junction includes first and second pinned layers, first and second nonmagnetic spacer layers, and a free layer. The first pinned layer has a first pinned layer magnetic moment and is nonmagnetic layer-free. The first nonmagnetic spacer layer resides between the first pinned and free layers. The free layer resides between the first and second nonmagnetic spacer layers. The second pinned layer has a second pinned layer magnetic moment and is nonmagnetic layer-free. The second nonmagnetic spacer layer resides between the free and second pinned layers. The first and second pinned layer magnetic moments are antiferromagnetically coupled and self-pinned. The magnetic junction is configured to allow the free layer to be switched between stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction. | 05-05-2011 |
20110102949 | METHOD TO IMPROVE READER STABILITY AND WRITER OVERWRITE BY PATTERNED WAFER ANNEALING - A method of fabricating a tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) reader is disclosed. A TMR structure comprising at least one ferromagnetic layer and at least one nonmagnetic insulating layer is provided. A first thermal annealing process on the TMR structure is performed. A reader pattern definition process performed on the TMR structure to obtain a patterned TMR reader. A second thermal annealing process is performed on the patterned TMR reader. | 05-05-2011 |
20110164338 | MAGNETIC TUNNEL JUNCTION TRANSISTOR DEVICE - A magnetic tunnel junction transistor (MTJT) device includes a source-drain region comprising a source electrode and a drain electrode, a double MTJ element formed between the source electrode and the drain electrode and comprising a free magnetic layer at a center region thereof, and a gate region adjacent to the source-drain region and comprising an insulating barrier layer formed on an upper layer of the double MTJ element and a gate electrode formed on the insulating barrier layer. The MTJT device switches a magnetization orientation of the free magnetic layer by application of a gate voltage to the gate electrode, thereby changing a resistance of the source-drain region. | 07-07-2011 |
20110235217 | Fabricating A Magnetic Tunnel Junction Storage Element - Methods for forming a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) storage element and MTJ storage elements formed are disclosed. The MTJ storage element includes a MTJ stack having a pinned layer stack, a barrier layer and a free layer. An adjusting layer is formed on the free layer, such that the free layer is protected from process related damages. A top electrode is formed on the adjusting layer and the adjusting layer and the free layer are etched utilizing the top electrode as a mask. A spacer layer is then formed, encapsulating the top electrode, the adjusting layer and the free layer. The spacer layer and the remaining portions of the MTJ stack are etched. A protective covering layer is deposited over the spacer layer and the MTJ stack. | 09-29-2011 |