Low resistance high-TMR magnetic tunnel junction and process for fabrication thereof
AssigneeAvalanche Technology, Inc.
InventorsRajiv Yadav Ranjan, Parviz Keshtbod, Roger Klas Malmhall
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Abstract
A non-volatile magnetic memory element includes a fixed layer, a barrier layer formed on top of the fixed layer, and a free layer formed on top of the barrier layer, wherein the electrical resistivity of the barrier layer is reduced by placing said barrier layer under compressive stress. Compressive stress is induced by either using a compressive stress inducing layer, or by using inert gases at low pressure during the sputtering process as the barrier layer is deposited, or by introducing compressive stress inducing molecules into the molecular lattice of the barrier layer.
Claims25
A current-switching non-volatile magnetic memory element including;
- a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) including a barrier layer, said barrier layer having associated therewith an electrical resistivity, and
- a compressive stress inducing layer (CSIL) formed on top of said MTJ and characterized to induce compressive stress on said MTJ thereby reducing electrical resistively of the barrier layer thereof.
A current-switching non-volatile magnetic memory element including;
- a compressive stress inducing layer (CSIL);
- and
- a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) formed on top of said CSIL,
- said MTJ including a barrier layer, said barrier layer having associated therewith an electrical resistivity,
- wherein said electrical resistivity of said barrier layer in said MTJ is reduced by compressive stress induced by said CSIL.
A method of manufacturing current-switching non-volatile magnetic memory element comprising:
- forming a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) including a barrier layer, said barrier layer having associated therewith an electrical resistivity;
- and
- depositing at high temperature, a compressive stress inducing layer (CSIL) on top of said MTJ,
- wherein said CSIL, upon cooling, shrinks, thus inducing compressive stress on said barrier layer and resulting in reduction of electrical resistivity of said barrier layer.
A method of manufacturing current-switching non-volatile magnetic memory element comprising:
- forming a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) including a barrier layer, said barrier layer having associated therewith an electrical resistivity,
- wherein electrical resistivity of said barrier layer is reduced by depositing said barrier layer under compressive film stress in a sputtering process with an inert gas.
The method of manufacturing current-switching non-volatile magnetic memory element comprising:
- forming a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) including a barrier layer, said barrier layer having associated therewith an electrical resistivity,
- wherein electrical resistivity of said barrier layer is reduced by dissolving into a molecular lattice of said barrier layer, compressive-stress-inducing molecules (CSIM).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.