Method and system for providing magnetic tunneling junction elements having an easy cone anisotropy
AssigneesThe Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama for and on behalf of the University of Alabama, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsDmytro Apalkov, William H. Butler
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Abstract
A method and system for providing a magnetic junction usable in a magnetic device are described. The magnetic junction includes a pinned layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, and a free layer. The nonmagnetic spacer layer is between the pinned layer and the free layer. The free layer has a magnetic anisotropy, at least a portion of which is a biaxial anisotropy. The magnetic junction is configured such that the free layer is switchable between a plurality of stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction.
Claims24
A magnetic junction for use in a magnetic device comprising:
- a pinned layer;
- a nonmagnetic spacer layer;
- and
- a free layer having a magnetic anisotropy energy, the nonmagnetic spacer layer residing between the pinned layer and the free layer, at least a portion of the magnetic anisotropy energy being an easy cone anisotropy energy, the easy cone anisotropy energy including a plurality of energy terms having different angular dependencies such that a ratio of any two of the plurality of energy terms has an angular dependence, the easy cone anisotropy energy having at least one energy minimum at a nonzero angle;
- wherein the magnetic junction is configured such that the free layer is switchable between a plurality of stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction.
The magnetic junction of claim 21 wherein at least one of the nonmagnetic spacer layer and the additional nonmagnetic spacer layer includes crystalline MgO.
A magnetic memory comprising:
- a plurality of magnetic storage cells, each of the plurality of magnetic storage cells including at least one magnetic junction, the at least one magnetic junction including a pinned layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, and a free layer having a magnetic anisotropy energy, the nonmagnetic spacer layer residing between the pinned layer and the free layer, at least a portion of the magnetic anisotropy being at least one of n easy cone anisotropy energy, the easy cone anisotropy energy including a plurality of energy terms having different angular dependencies such that a ratio of any two of the plurality of energy terms has an angular dependence, the easy cone anisotropy energy having at least one energy minimum at a nonzero angle, the at least one magnetic junction being configured to allow the free layer to be switched between a plurality of stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.