US 2019/0244648 A1 · Magnetic Tunnel Junction Memory Device

Abstract

Various memory devices and associated methods of operation are disclosed herein. An exemplary method includes flowing a current through an electrode of a memory device. The current exerts a spin-torque for orienting a magnetic field of a magnetic layer of the memory device and produces a magnetic field in the electrode that assists in orienting the magnetic field of the magnetic layer. The current can produce the magnetic field in the electrode when flowing through a region of the electrode having a winding orientation that is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the memory device. In some implementations, flowing the current through the electrode includes storing data in the memory device.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

in a first operating mode, generating a first write current to flow through an electrode of a memory device in a first direction to establish a first magnetic orientation in a magnetic layer of the memory device;
in a second operating mode, generating a second write current to flow through the electrode in a second direction to establish a second magnetic orientation in the magnetic layer, wherein the second direction is different than the first direction and the second magnetic orientation is different than the first magnetic orientation;
and
wherein the first write current and the second write current each produce a magnetic field in the electrode that assists in respectively aligning the first magnetic orientation and the second magnetic orientation.

1 more element

A method comprising:

providing a memory device having:
a first electrode,
a first magnetic layer disposed over the first electrode,
a second magnetic layer disposed over the first magnetic layer,
a barrier layer disposed between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, and
a second electrode disposed over the second magnetic layer;
and
in a first operating mode, generating a first write current to flow through the second electrode of the memory device in a first direction to establish a first magnetic orientation in the second magnetic layer of the memory device;
in a second operating mode, generating a second write current to flow through the second electrode in a second direction to establish a second magnetic orientation in the second magnetic layer, wherein the second direction is different than the first direction and the second magnetic orientation is different than the first magnetic orientation;
and
wherein the first write current and the second write current each produce a magnetic field in the second electrode that assists in respectively aligning the first magnetic orientation and the second magnetic orientation.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

16/388,202Filed 18 Apr 2019

Priority

3 Dec 2012

Published

8 Aug 2019

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

G11C 11/161
Using elements in which the storage effect is based on magnetic spin effect: details concerning the memory cell structure, e.g. the layers of the…
G11C 11/155
Using thin-film elements: with cylindrical configuration
G11C 11/16
Using magnetic elements: using elements in which the storage effect is based on magnetic spin effect
G11C 11/1655
Address circuits or decoders: bit-line or column circuits

Family

Application13/692,493Division · filed 3 Dec 2012

Application14/968,591Division · filed 14 Dec 2015

Application15/691,099Continuation · filed 30 Aug 2017

Application15/879,975Division · filed 25 Jan 2018

Application16/388,202Division

Application15/879,975Continuation

Application15/691,099Division

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