Magnetic tunnel junction based programmable memory cell
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorRomney R. Katti
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An example device for performing a write operation, the device including a Magnetic Tunnel Junction (MTJ) element and processing circuitry. The MTJ element including a free structure, a pinned structure, and a tunnel barrier arranged between the free structure and the pinned structure. The processing circuitry is configured to receive an instruction to set the MTJ element to a low-resistance state and provide a write voltage to the MTJ element such that the tunnel barrier breaks down to generate a low-resistance channel between the free structure and the pinned structure.
Claims18
A device for performing a write operation, the device comprising:
- a Magnetic Tunnel Junction (MTJ) element, the MTJ element comprising a free structure, a pinned structure, and a tunnel barrier arranged between the free structure and the pinned structure;
- and
- processing circuitry configured to:
- receive an instruction to set the MTJ element to a low-resistance state;
- and
- provide a write voltage to the MTJ element such that the tunnel barrier breaks down to generate a low-resistance channel between the free structure and the pinned structure, wherein the low-resistance channel electrically connects the free structure and the pinned structure such that the MTJ element comprises a resistance of less than one-tenth of a resistance at the MTJ element before providing the write voltage to the MTJ element.
A device for performing a write operation, the device comprising:
- a Magnetic Tunnel Junction (MTJ) element, the MTJ element comprising a free structure, a pinned structure, and a tunnel barrier arranged between the free structure and the pinned structure;
- and
- processing circuitry configured to:
- receive an instruction to set the MTJ element to a low-resistance state;
- provide a write voltage to the MTJ element such that the tunnel barrier breaks down to generate a low-resistance channel between the free structure and the pinned structure;
- wherein the tunnel barrier is a first tunnel barrier;
- wherein the MTJ element comprises a metal layer and a second tunnel barrier,
- wherein the metal layer that spaces apart the first tunnel barrier and the second tunnel barrier;
- wherein the second tunnel barrier spaces apart the pinned structure and the free structure;
- and
- wherein the first tunnel barrier comprises a thickness less than a thickness of the second tunnel barrier.
A method for performing a write operation, the method comprising:
- receiving, by processing circuitry, an instruction to set the magnetic tunnel junction element to a low-resistance state, wherein the magnetic tunnel junction element includes a free structure, a pinned structure, and a tunnel barrier, the free structure being spaced apart from the pinned structure by the tunnel barrier;
- and
- providing, by the processing circuitry, a write voltage to the magnetic tunnel junction element such that the tunnel barrier breaks down to generate a low-resistance channel between the free structure and the pinned structure, wherein the low-resistance channel electrically connects the free structure and the pinned structure such that the magnetic tunnel junction element comprises a resistance of less than one-tenth of a resistance at the magnetic tunnel junction element before providing the write voltage to the magnetic tunnel junction element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.