Spin dependent tunneling barriers doped with magnetic particles
US6639291B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 6, 2002 |
| Grant date | Oct 28, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 6, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10N50/10
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A tunneling barrier for a spin dependent tunneling (SDT) device is disclosed that includes a plurality of ferromagnetic particles. The presence of such particles in the tunneling barrier has been found to increase a magnetoresistance or &Dgr;R/R response, improving the signal and the signal to noise ratio. Such an increased &Dgr;R/R response also offers the possibility of decreasing an area of the tunnel barrier layer and/or increasing a thickness of the tunnel barrier layer. Decreasing the area of the tunnel barrier layer can afford improvements in resolution of devices such as MR sensors and increased density of devices such as of MRAM cells. Increasing the thickness of the tunnel barrier can afford improvements in manufacturing such as increased yield.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.