Magnetic devices and structures
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsGuohan Hu, Jonathan Zanghong Sun
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Magnetic devices, magnetoresistive structures, and methods and techniques associated with the magnetic devices and magnetoresistive structures are presented. For example, a magnetic device is presented. The magnetic device includes a ferromagnet, an antiferromagnet coupled to the ferromagnet, and a nonmagnetic metal proximate to the ferromagnet. The antiferromagnet provides uniaxial anisotropy to the magnetic device. A resistance of the nonmagnetic metal is dependent upon a direction of a magnetic moment of the ferromagnet.
Claims14
A magnetoresistive structure comprising:
- a free ferromagnetic layer;
- an antiferromagnetic layer coupled to the free ferromagnetic layer, wherein a free side of the magnetoresistive structure comprises the free ferromagnetic layer and the antiferromagnetic layer;
- a pinned layer;
- and
- a nonmagnetic metallic layer at least partly between the free side and the pinned layer;
- wherein the antiferromagnetic layer provides uniaxial anisotropy to the free ferromagnetic layer of the free side;
- wherein a resistance of the nonmagnetic metallic layer is dependent upon a direction of a magnetic moment of the ferromagnetic layer;
- wherein the pinned layer comprises a pinned ferromagnetic layer and a pinned-side antiferromagnetic layer exchange-coupled to the pinned ferromagnetic layer, and
- wherein a first resistance of the nonmagnetic metallic layer corresponds to the direction of the magnetic moment of the free ferromagnetic layer being parallel to a direction of a magnetic moment of the pinned ferromagnetic layer, and a second resistance of the nonmagnetic metallic layer corresponds to the direction of the magnetic moment of the free ferromagnetic layer being anti-parallel to the direction of the magnetic moment of the pinned ferromagnetic layer, wherein the first resistance is lower than the second resistance.
A magnetoresistive structure comprising:
- a free ferromagnetic layer;
- an antiferromagnetic layer coupled to the free ferromagnetic layer, wherein a free side of the magnetoresistive structure comprises the free ferromagnetic layer and the antiferromagnetic layer;
- a pinned layer;
- and
- a nonmagnetic metallic layer at least partly between the free side and the pinned layer;
- wherein the antiferromagnetic layer provides uniaxial anisotropy to the free ferromagnetic layer of the free side;
- wherein a resistance of the nonmagnetic metallic layer is dependent upon a direction of a magnetic moment of the ferromagnetic layer;
- wherein the pinned layer comprises a first layer of a first ferromagnetic material, a second layer of a nonmagnetic material and a third layer of a second ferromagnetic material, and
- wherein a first resistance of the nonmagnetic metallic layer corresponds to the direction of the magnetic moment of the free ferromagnetic layer being parallel to a direction of a magnetic moment of the third layer, and a second resistance of the nonmagnetic metallic layer corresponds to the direction of the magnetic moment of the free ferromagnetic layer being anti-parallel to the direction of the magnetic moment of the third layer, wherein the first resistance is lower than the second resistance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.