System and Method for Providing Content-Addressable Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory Cells

A method of writing data to a content-addressable memory (CAM) memory cell including a switching transistor coupled with a multilayer magnetic tunnel junction formed from an insulating layer being disposed between first and second magnetic layers, said first magnetic layer being in communication with a first line and having a magnetization with a first magnetization direction, said second magnetic layer being in communication with a second line and having a magnetization with a second magnetization direction, said method comprising:

• providing write data to said first magnetic layer as a current pulse via the first line, the current pulse inducing a magnetic field in the first line;
• activating said switching transistor and applying at least a portion of the current pulse to said magnetic tunnel junction via said switching transistor;
• heating said magnetic tunnel junction to a predetermined high temperature threshold by applying at least a portion of the current pulse to said magnetic tunnel junction via said switching transistor;
• deselecting said switching transistor once said magnetic tunnel junction reaches said predetermined high temperature threshold;
• maintaining the induced magnetic field until said magnetic tunnel junction reaches a predetermined low temperature threshold;
• and
• aligning said first magnetization direction of said first magnetic layer in accordance with the induced magnetic field such that the write data is written to said memory cell.

A method of writing data to a content-addressable memory (CAM) memory cell including a switching transistor coupled with a multilayer magnetic tunnel junction formed from an insulating layer being disposed between first and second magnetic layers, said first magnetic layer being in communication with a first line and having a magnetization with a first magnetization direction, said second magnetic layer being in communication with a second line and having a magnetization with a second magnetization direction, said method comprising:

• providing write data to said first magnetic layer as a current pulse via the first line, the current pulse having a predetermined amplitude and being spin polarized;
• activating said switching transistor and applying at least a portion of the current pulse to said magnetic tunnel junction via said switching transistor;
• heating said magnetic tunnel junction to a predetermined high temperature threshold by applying at least a portion of the current pulse to said magnetic tunnel junction via said switching transistor;
• applying the spin-polarized current pulse to said first magnetic layer to induce a local spin torque on said first magnetic layer;
• deselecting said switching transistor once said magnetic tunnel junction reaches said predetermined high temperature threshold;
• and
• progressively reducing the amplitude of the current pulse as said magnetic tunnel junction cools to a predetermined low temperature threshold,
• wherein said first magnetization direction of said first magnetic layer is aligned in accordance with the induced local spin torque such that the write data is written to said memory cell.

A content-addressable memory (CAM) memory cell, comprising:

• a switching transistor;
• and
• a multilayer magnetic tunnel junction in communication with said switching transistor and formed from an insulating layer being disposed between first and second magnetic layers, said first magnetic layer being in communication with a first line and having a magnetization with a first magnetization direction, said second magnetic layer being in communication with a second line and having a magnetization with a second magnetization direction, said magnetic tunnel junction having a resistance value,
• wherein, during a write operation, write data is provided to said first magnetic layer as a current pulse via the first line, the current pulse having a predetermined amplitude and being spin polarized, said magnetic tunnel junction being heated to a predetermined high temperature threshold by activating said switching transistor to apply at least a portion of the current pulse to said magnetic tunnel junction via said switching transistor, the spin-polarized current pulse being applied to said first magnetic layer to induce a local spin torque on said first magnetic layer, said switching transistor being deactivated once said magnetic tunnel junction reaches said predetermined high temperature threshold, the amplitude of the current pulse being progressively reduced as said magnetic tunnel junction cools to a predetermined low temperature threshold,
• wherein said first magnetization direction of said first magnetic layer is aligned in accordance with the induced local spin torque such that the write data is written to said memory cell.