# US 12,112,784 B2 · Magnetoresistive random access memory device

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 12,112,784 B2
- Document ID: US12112784B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/751,898
- Filed: 2022-05-24
- Published: 2023-03-16
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2021-09-16
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Sungchul Lee; Kyungjin Lee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12112784B2

## CPC

- G11C 11/161: {details concerning the memory cell structure, e.g. the layers of the ferromagnetic memory cell}
- H10B 61/00: Magnetic memory devices, e.g. magnetoresistive RAM [MRAM] devices
- H10N 50/01: Manufacture or treatment
- H10N 50/10: Magnetoresistive devices
- H10N 50/80: Constructional details
- H10N 50/85: Materials of the active region
- G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B)
- H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A magneto resistive random access memory (MRAM) device including a spin orbit torque structure including a stack of an oxide layer pattern, a ferromagnetic pattern, and a non-magnetic pattern; and a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure on the spin orbit torque structure, the MTJ structure including a stack of a free layer pattern, a tunnel barrier pattern, and a pinned layer pattern, wherein the spin orbit torque structure extends in a first direction parallel to an upper surface of the spin orbit torque structure, the ferromagnetic pattern includes a horizontal magnetic material, and the free layer pattern has a magnetization direction in a vertical direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the spin orbit torque structure, the magnetization direction being changeable in response to spin currents generated in the spin orbit torque structure.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A magnetoresistive random access memory device, comprising:
a spin orbit torque structure including a stack of an oxide layer pattern, a ferromagnetic pattern, and a non-magnetic pattern; and
a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure on the spin orbit torque structure, the MTJ structure including a stack of a free layer pattern, a tunnel barrier pattern, and a pinned layer pattern,
wherein:
the spin orbit torque structure extends in a first direction parallel to an upper surface of the spin orbit torque structure,
the ferromagnetic pattern includes a horizontal magnetic material, and
the free layer pattern has a magnetization direction in a vertical direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the spin orbit torque structure, the magnetization direction being changeable in response to spin currents generated in the spin orbit torque structure.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The magnetoresistive random access memory device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oxide layer pattern includes cobalt oxide (CoOx), iron oxide (FeOx), nickel oxide (NiOx), magnesium oxide (MgOx), aluminum oxide (AlOx), tantalum oxide (TaOx), or zirconium oxide (ZrOx).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The magnetoresistive random access memory device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ferromagnetic pattern includes iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), platinum (Pt), boron (B), silicon (Si), zirconium (Zr), or a composite material thereof.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The magnetoresistive random access memory device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the non-magnetic pattern includes titanium (Ti), copper (Cu), platinum (Pt), tungsten (W), tantalum (Ta), or a composite material thereof.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The magnetoresistive random access memory device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
the ferromagnetic pattern directly contacts an upper surface of the oxide layer pattern, and
the non-magnetic pattern directly contacts an upper surface of the ferromagnetic pattern.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The magnetoresistive random access memory device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the non-magnetic pattern directly contacts the free layer pattern of the MTJ structure.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The magnetoresistive random access memory device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
the pinned layer pattern has a vertical magnetization direction, and
the magnetization direction of the pinned layer pattern is fixed in one direction.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The magnetoresistive random access memory device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a first conductive pattern electrically connected to the pinned layer pattern on the MTJ structure, wherein the first conductive pattern has a line shape extending in a second direction parallel to an upper surface of the first conductive pattern and perpendicular to the first direction.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The magnetoresistive random access memory device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the free layer pattern includes iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), platinum (Pt), boron (B), silicon (Si), zirconium (Zr), or a composite material thereof.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The magnetoresistive random access memory device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
the spin currents are generated as an in-plane current and are applied to the spin orbit torque structure in the first direction, and
the spin currents include a spin current generated by a spin Hall effect, a first interface spin current generated at a first interface between the oxide layer pattern and the ferromagnetic pattern, and a second interface spin current generated at a second interface between the ferromagnetic pattern and the non-magnetic pattern.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The magnetoresistive random access memory device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ferromagnetic pattern has a thickness of 1 nm to 5 nm.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The magnetoresistive random access memory device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the non-magnetic pattern has a thickness of 1 nm to 5 nm.

### Claim 13

A magnetoresistive random access memory device, comprising:
a spin orbit torque structure extending in a first direction, the spin orbit torque structure having a structure in which a metal oxide layer pattern, a ferromagnetic pattern including a horizontal magnetic material, and a non-magnetic pattern including a non-magnetic metal material are sequentially stacked;
a free layer pattern directly contacting the spin orbit torque structure, the free layer pattern having a magnetization direction perpendicular to an upper surface of the spin orbit torque structure, and the magnetization direction being changeable in response to spin currents generated in the spin orbit torque structure;
a tunnel barrier pattern on the free layer pattern; and
a pinned layer pattern on the tunnel barrier pattern, the pinned layer pattern having a vertical magnetization direction that is fixed.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The magnetoresistive random access memory device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the metal oxide layer pattern includes cobalt oxide (CoOx), iron oxide (FeOx), nickel oxide (NiOx), magnesium oxide (MgOx), aluminum oxide (AlOx), tantalum oxide (TaOx), or zirconium oxide (ZrOx).

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The magnetoresistive random access memory device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the ferromagnetic pattern includes iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), platinum (Pt), boron (B), silicon (Si), zirconium (Zr), or a composite material thereof.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The magnetoresistive random access memory device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the non-magnetic pattern includes titanium (Ti), copper (Cu), platinum (Pt), tungsten (W), tantalum (Ta), or a composite material thereof.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The magnetoresistive random access memory device as claimed in claim 13, wherein a thickness of the ferromagnetic pattern is less than a spin diffusion length of the ferromagnetic pattern.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The magnetoresistive random access memory device as claimed in claim 13, wherein a thickness of the non-magnetic pattern is less than a spin diffusion length of the non-magnetic pattern.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The magnetoresistive random access memory device as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:
an upper electrode on the pinned layer pattern; and
a first conductive pattern on the upper electrode extending in a second direction parallel to the upper surface of the spin orbit torque structure and perpendicular to an extension direction of the spin orbit torque structure.

### Claim 20

A magnetoresistive random access memory device, comprising:
a metal oxide layer pattern;
a ferromagnetic pattern directly contacting an upper surface of the metal oxide layer pattern, and the ferromagnetic pattern including a horizontal magnetic material;
a non-magnetic pattern directly contacting an upper surface of the ferromagnetic pattern, the non-magnetic pattern including a non-magnetic metal material;
a free layer pattern directly contacting a portion of an upper surface of the non-magnetic pattern, the free layer pattern having a magnetization direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the non-magnetic pattern, and the magnetization direction being changeable in response to spin currents generated in a stacked structure including the metal oxide layer pattern, the ferromagnetic pattern, and the non-magnetic pattern;
a tunnel barrier pattern on the free layer pattern; and
a pinned layer pattern on the tunnel barrier pattern, the pinned layer pattern having a magnetization direction in a vertical direction that is fixed;
wherein:
the spin currents are generated as an in-plane current is applied to the stacked structure including the metal oxide layer pattern, the ferromagnetic pattern, and the non-magnetic pattern, and
the spin currents include a spin current generated by a spin Hall effect, a first interface spin current generated at a first interface between the metal oxide layer pattern and the ferromagnetic pattern, and a second interface spin current generated at a second interface between the ferromagnetic pattern and the non-magnetic pattern.