# US 2014/0153324 A1 · Magnetic Tunnel Junction Memory Device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0153324 A1 - Document ID: US20140153324A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/692,493 - Filed: 2012-12-03 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-03 - Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, L - Inventors: Chwen Yu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140153324A1 ## CPC - G11C 11/161: {details concerning the memory cell structure, e.g. the layers of the ferromagnetic memory cell} - G11C 11/155: with cylindrical configuration - G11C 11/16: using elements in which the storage effect is based on magnetic spin effect - G11C 11/1655: {Bit-line or column circuits} - G11C 11/1675: {Writing or programming circuits or methods} - H10B 61/00: Magnetic memory devices, e.g. magnetoresistive RAM [MRAM] devices - H10N 50/10: Magnetoresistive devices - H10N 50/80: Constructional details - G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B) - H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A magnetic-assist, spin-torque transfer magnetic tunnel junction device and a method for performing a magnetic-assist, spin-torque-transfer write to the device are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the magnetic tunnel junction device includes a first electrode, a pinned layer disposed on the first electrode, a free layer disposed on the pinned layer, and a barrier layer disposed between the pinned layer and the free layer. The device further includes a second electrode electrically coupled to the free layer, the second electrode containing a magnetic assist region. In some embodiments, the magnetic assist region is configured to produce a net magnetic field when supplied with a write current. The net magnetic field is aligned to assist a spin-torque transfer of the write current on the free layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A magnetic tunnel junction device comprising: a first electrode; a pinned layer disposed on the first electrode; a free layer disposed on the pinned layer; a barrier layer disposed between the pinned layer and the free layer; and a second electrode electrically coupled to the free layer, wherein the second electrode includes a magnetic assist region. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the magnetic assist region is configured to produce a net magnetic field when supplied with a write current, and wherein the net magnetic field is aligned to assist a spin-torque transfer of the write current on the free layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the net magnetic field is aligned to orient an internal magnetic field of the free layer in a first orientation, and wherein a spin-torque transfer of the write current on the free layer is aligned to orient the internal magnetic field of the free layer in the first orientation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, the device further comprising a longitudinal device body that includes the pinned layer, the free layer, and the barrier layer, wherein the first orientation is substantially parallel to the longitudinal device body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the magnetic assist region includes a coil region having a winding orientation substantially perpendicular to a top surface of the free layer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5, wherein the coil region includes a partially circular region. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The device of claim 6, wherein the partially circular region is piecewise linear. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5, wherein the coil region includes a partially rectangular region. ### Claim 9 A magnetic tunnel junction device comprising: a bottom electrode; a pinned layer disposed on the bottom electrode; a barrier layer disposed on the pinned layer; a free layer disposed on the barrier layer; and a top electrode disposed on and electrically coupled to the free layer, wherein the top electrode is configured to produce a net magnetic field when supplied with a write current, wherein the net magnetic field is aligned to induce a magnetic orientation within the free layer, and wherein a spin-torque of the write current is aligned to induce the magnetic orientation within the free layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, wherein the net magnetic field is configured such that a switching current of the device is less than a threshold write current for a spin-torque transfer write of the device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, the device further comprising a longitudinal device body that includes the pinned layer, the barrier layer, and the free layer, wherein the magnetic orientation is substantially parallel to the longitudinal device body. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, wherein the top electrode includes a coil region having a winding orientation substantially perpendicular to a top surface of the free layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, the device further comprising a longitudinal device body that includes the pinned layer, the barrier layer, and the free layer, and wherein the coil region is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal device body. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, wherein the coil region includes a piecewise linear partially circular region. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, wherein the top electrode includes a partially rectangular region. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, wherein the magnetic orientation is parallel to an internal magnetic field orientation of the pinned layer. ### Claim 17 A method of writing to a magnetic tunnel junction device, the method comprising: providing a write current to a free layer of the magnetic tunnel junction device via an electrode electrically coupled to the device, wherein a flow of the write current through the electrode produces a net electromagnetic field aligned to induce a magnetic orientation in the free layer, and wherein the write current further induces the magnetic orientation in the free layer via spin-torque transfer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the magnetic orientation is substantially parallel to a device body of the magnetic tunnel junction device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the magnetic orientation is substantially parallel to and in substantially the same direction as a magnetic orientation of a pinned layer of the magnetic tunnel junction device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the first magnetic orientation is substantially parallel to and in a substantially opposite direction of a magnetic orientation of a pinned layer of the magnetic tunnel junction device.