Spin based memory coupled to CMOS amplifier
AssigneeSeagate Technology LLC
InventorMark B. Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A nonvolatile hybrid memory cell is provided. The cell is comprised of a magnetic spin storage element and one or two semiconductor FET isolation elements. The magnetic spin storage element is an electron spin-based memory element situated on a silicon based substrate and includes a first ferromagnetic layer with a changeable magnetization state, and a second ferromagnetic layer with a non-changeable magnetization state. A current of spin polarized electrons has a magnitude which can be varied so that a data value can be stored in the memory element by varying a relative orientation of the two ferromagnetic layer. An output of the device is coupled to a conventional CMOS amplifier to determine such relationship.
Claims23
A hybrid magnetoelectronic spin-based memory cell comprising:
- a memory element configured to transport a current of spin polarized electrons including:
- i) a first ferromagnetic layer with a first magnetization state;
- ii) a second ferromagnetic layer with a second magnetization state;
- wherein a magnitude of said current of spin polarized electrons varies in accordance with a relationship between said first magnetization state and said second magnetization state and further corresponds to a data value stored in the hybrid magnetoelectronic spin-based memory cell;
- an isolation element coupled to an output of said electron spin-based memory element and adapted to isolate said data value, said isolation element including a semiconductor based transistor;
- a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensing circuit coupled to said output and which is adapted to determine said data value based on said magnitude of said current of spin polarized electrons.
A hybrid magnetoelectronic spin-based memory cell comprising:
- a memory element situated over a silicon based substrate and which is configured to transport a current of spin polarized electrons, including:
- i) a first ferromagnetic layer with a first changeable magnetization state comprising iron, permalloy and/or cobalt;
- ii) a second ferromagnetic layer with a second non-changeable magnetization state also comprising iron, permalloy and/or cobalt and which conducts said spin current;
- wherein a magnitude of a spin polarized current passing through both said first ferromagnetic layer a second ferromagnetic layer can be varied to store a data value in said memory cell having at least two logic levels;
- a memory cell selector coupled to an output of said electron spin-based memory, said memory cell selector including a semiconductor based isolation element which can be activated to read said data value;
- a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sense amplifier coupled to said memory cell selector and which is adapted to determine said data value based on said magnitude of said current of spin polarized electrons.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.