Patent · US Active

Magnetic memory with a thermally assisted spin transfer torque writing procedure using a low writing current

US8385107B2 · kind B2 · utility

52Cited by
8References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 4, 2010
Grant dateFeb 26, 2013
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 31, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01F10/3286
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A magnetic random access memory (MRAM) cell with a thermally assisted switching (TAS) writing procedure, comprising a magnetic tunnel junction formed from a ferromagnetic storage layer having a first magnetization adjustable at a high temperature threshold, a ferromagnetic reference layer having a fixed second magnetization, and an insulating layer, said insulating layer being disposed between the ferromagnetic storage and reference layers; a select transistor being electrically connected to said magnetic tunnel junction and controllable via a word line; a current line, electrically connected to said magnetic tunnel junction, passing at least a write current; characterized in that the magnetocrystalline anisotropy of the ferromagnetic storage layer is substantially orthogonal with the magnetocrystalline anisotropy of the ferromagnetic reference layer. The STT-based TAS-MRAM cell achieves simultaneously thermal stability and requires low write current density.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.