US 7,088,609 B2 · Spin barrier enhanced magnetoresistance effect element and magnetic memory using the same

Abstract

A method and system for providing a magnetic element that can be used in a magnetic memory is disclosed. The magnetic element includes pinned, spacer, free, and spin barrier layers. The spacer layer is nonmagnetic and resides between the pinned and free layers. The free layer can be switched using spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element. The free layer resides between the spacer layer and the spin barrier layer. The spin barrier layer is configured to reduce an outer surface contribution to a damping constant of the free layer. In one aspect, the spin barrier layer has a high areal resistance and may substantially eliminate spin pumping induced damping. In another aspect, the magnetic element also includes a spin accumulation layer between the spin barrier and free layers. The spin accumulation layer has a high conductivity, preferably being metallic, and may have a long spin diffusion length.

Claims45

Dependent claims

A magnetic element comprising:

a pinned layer;
a spacer layer, the spacer layer being nonmagnetic;
and
a free layer having a free layer magnetization, the spacer layer residing between the pinned layer and the free layer;
and
a spin barrier layer, the free layer residing between the spin barrier layer and the spacer layer, the spin barrier layer configured to reduce an outer surface contribution to a damping constant of the free layer;
wherein the magnetic element is configured to allow the free layer magnetization to be switched due to spin transfer when a write current is passed through the magnetic element.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Spin barrier enhanced magnetoresistance effect element and magnetic memory using the same

Life of this patent

Spin barrier enhanced magnetoresistance effect element and magnetic memory using the same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims45