Diffusion barrier for improving the thermal stability of MRAM devices

A magnetic random access memory device comprising:

• a pinned layer including a diffusion barrier, the diffusion barrier including:
• a thin film of aluminum oxide having a thickness of between a monolayer and about seven angstroms;
• a second diffusion barrier layer;
• and
• a ferromagnetic layer between and contacting the thin film of aluminum oxide and the second diffusion barrier layer;
• a sense layer;
• and
• a tunnel barrier to electrically couple the pinned layer to the sense layer.

A magnetic random access memory device comprising:

• a pinned layer including a diffusion barrier, the diffusion barrier including:
• a thin film of aluminum oxide;
• a second diffusion barrier layer;
• and
• a ferromagnetic layer between and contacting the thin film of aluminum oxide and the second diffusion barrier layer;
• a sense layer;
• a tunnel barrier to electrically couple the pinned layer to the sense layer;
• and
• a control unit to electrically and magnetically couple to the sense layer.

A magnetic random access memory comprising:

• a plurality of magnetic random access memory devices formed on a substrate, each of the plurality of magnetic random access memory devices including:
• a pinned layer having a diffusion barrier embedded in the pinned layer, the diffusion barrier including:
• a first insulative diffusion barrier layer;
• a second diffusion barrier layer;
• and
• a ferromagnetic layer between and contacting the first insulative diffusion barrier layer and the second diffusion barrier layer;
• a sense layer;
• and
• a tunnel barrier to electrically couple the pinned layer to the sense layer;
• and
• a control unit to electrically and magnetically couple to each of the plurality of magnetic random access memory devices.

A system comprising:

• a processor;
• a magnetic random access memory coupled to the processor, the magnetic random access memory having:
• a plurality of magnetic random access memory devices formed on a substrate, each of the plurality of magnetic random access memory devices including:
• a pinned layer including a diffusion barrier embedded in the pinned layer, the diffusion barrier including:
• a first insulative diffusion barrier layer;
• a second diffusion barrier layer;
• and
• a ferromagnetic layer between and contacting the first insulative diffusion barrier layer and the second diffusion barrier layer;
• a sense layer;
• and
• a tunnel barrier to electrically couple the pinned layer to the sense layer;
• and
• a control unit formed on the substrate to electrically and magnetically couple to each of the plurality of magnetic random access memory devices.

A method for forming a magnetic random access memory device, the method comprising:

• forming a pinned layer having a diffusion barrier on a substrate including forming the diffusion barrier having:
• a first insulative diffusion barrier layer;
• a second diffusion barrier layer;
• and
• a ferromagnetic layer between and contacting the first insulative diffusion barrier layer and the second diffusion barrier layer;
• forming a tunnel barrier on the pinned layer;
• and
• forming a sense layer on the tunnel barrier.

A method for forming a magnetic random access memory device, the method comprising:

• forming a sense layer on a substrate;
• forming a tunnel barrier on the sense layer;
• and
• forming a pinned layer including a diffusion barrier on the tunnel barrier including forming the diffusion barrier having:
• a first insulative diffusion barrier layer;
• a second diffusion barrier layer;
• and
• a ferromagnetic layer between and contacting the first insulative diffusion barrier layer and the second diffusion barrier layer.

A method for forming a magnetic random access memory device, the method comprising:

• forming a sense layer including forming a nickel-iron layer on a substrate;
• forming a tunnel barrier including forming an aluminum oxide layer on the nickel-iron layer;
• forming a pinned layer having a diffusion barrier, forming the pinned layer including:
• forming a cobalt-iron layer on the aluminum oxide layer;
• forming a conductive layer on the cobalt-iron layer;
• forming a cobalt-iron layer on the conductive layer;
• forming the diffusion barrier on the cobalt iron layer, forming the diffusion barrier including:
• forming an oxide layer;
• forming a second diffusion barrier layer;
• and
• forming a ferromagnetic layer between and contacting the oxide layer and the second diffusion barrier layer;
• forming a cobalt-iron layer on the diffusion barrier;
• and
• forming a manganese-containing antiferromagnetic material on the cobalt-iron layer.

A method of forming a magnetic random access memory, the method comprising:

• forming a plurality of magnetic random access memory devices on a substrate, each magnetic random access memory devices formed by a method including:
• forming a sense layer;
• forming a tunnel barrier contacting the sense layer;
• and
• forming a pinned layer having a diffusion barrier, the pinned layer contacting the tunnel barrier, the tunnel barrier separating the sense layer and the pinned layer, including forming the diffusion barrier having:
• a first insulative diffusion barrier layer;
• a second diffusion barrier layer;
• and
• a ferromagnetic layer between and contacting the first insulative diffusion barrier layer and the second diffusion barrier layer;
• and
• forming a control unit on the substrate to electrically and magnetically couple to each of the plurality of magnetic random access memory devices.

A method of forming a system having a magnetic random access memory device, the method comprising:

• providing a processor;
• coupling a magnetic random access memory to the processor, the magnetic random access memory having a plurality of magnetic random access memory devices formed on a substrate, each magnetic random access memory devices formed by a method including:
• forming a sense layer;
• forming a tunnel baffler contacting the sense layer;
• and
• forming a pinned layer having a diffusion baffler, the pinned layer contacting the tunnel baffler, the tunnel baffler separating the sense layer and the pinned layer, including forming the diffusion baffler having:
• a first insulative diffusion baffler layer;
• a second diffusion baffler layer;
• and
• a ferromagnetic layer between and contacting the first insulative diffusion baffler layer and the second diffusion baffler layer.