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US 8,541,247 B2Granted
Non-volatile memory cell with lateral pinning
AssigneeSeagate Technology LLC
InventorsHaiwen Xi, Antoine Khoueir, Brian Lee, Patrick J. Ryan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and associated method for a non-volatile memory cell, such as an STRAM cell. In accordance with various embodiments, a magnetic free layer is laterally separated from an antiferromagnetic layer (AFM) by a non-magnetic spacer layer and medially separated from a synthetic antiferromagnetic layer (SAF) by a magnetic tunneling junction. The AFM pins the magnetization of the SAF through contact with a pinning region of the SAF that laterally extends beyond the magnetic tunneling junction.
Claims8
A method comprising:
- providing a magnetic free layer laterally separated from an antiferromagnetic layer (AFM) by a non-magnetic spacer layer and medially separated from a synthetic antiferromagnetic layer (SAF) by a magnetic tunneling junction;
- pinning the magnetization of the SAF with the AFM through contact with a pinning region of the SAF that laterally extends beyond the magnetic tunneling junction;
- and
- annealing the magnetic free layer, magnetic tunneling junction, and SAF in the presence of in-plane magnetic field to increase tunnel magnetoresistance between the magnetic free layer and SAF.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.