Magnetostrictive Or Piezoelectric Patents (Class 365/157)
  • Patent number: 11594270
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided which comprises: a magnetic junction having a magnet with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) relative to an x-y plane of a device. In some embodiments, the apparatus comprises an interconnect partially adjacent to the structure of the magnetic junction, wherein the interconnect comprises a spin orbit material, wherein the interconnect has a pocket comprising non-spin orbit material, wherein the pocket is adjacent to the magnet of the magnetic junction. In some embodiments, the non-spin orbit material comprises metal which includes one or more of: Cu, Al, Ag, or Au.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Tanay Gosavi, Sasikanth Manipatruni, Chia-Ching Lin, Dmitri Nikonov, Christopher Wiegand, Ian Young
  • Patent number: 11276729
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive element includes: a first laminated structure body having a first surface and a second surface 20B facing the first surface; and a second laminated structure body formed by laminating a storage layer, an intermediate layer, and a magnetization fixed layer, the second laminated structure body having a first surface and a second surface facing the first surface, the first surface being positioned facing the second surface of the first laminated structure body. The first laminated structure body has a laminated structure including, from the first surface side of the first laminated structure body, a first layer made of a metal nitride and a second layer made of ruthenium or a ruthenium compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Uchida, Masanori Hosomi, Hiroyuki Ohmori, Kazuhiro Bessho, Yutaka Higo
  • Patent number: 10985212
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for multi-component cell architectures for a memory device are described. A memory device may include self-selecting memory cells that include multiple self-selecting memory components (e.g., multiple layers or other segments of a self-selecting memory material, separated by electrodes). The multiple self-selecting memory components may be configured to collectively store one logic state based on the polarity of a programming pulse applied to the memory cell. The multiple memory component layers may be collectively (concurrently) programmed and read. The multiple self-selecting memory components may increase the size of a read window of the memory cell when compared to a memory cell with a single self-selecting memory component. The read window for the memory cell may correspond to the sum of the read windows of each self-selecting memory component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Innocenzo Tortorelli
  • Patent number: 10873022
    Abstract: A magnetic element is provided. The magnetic element includes a free magnetization layer having a surface area that is approximately 1,600 nm2 or less, the free magnetization layer including a magnetization state that is configured to be changed; an insulation layer coupled to the free magnetization layer, the insulation layer including a non-magnetic material; and a magnetization fixing layer coupled to the insulation layer opposite the free magnetization layer, the magnetization fixing layer including a fixed magnetization so as to be capable of serving as a reference of the free magnetization layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazutaka Yamane, Masanori Hosomi, Hiroyuki Ohmori, Kazuhiro Bessho, Yutaka Higo, Tetsuya Asayama, Hiroyuki Uchida
  • Patent number: 10854257
    Abstract: A magnetic device may include a layer stack. The layer stack may include a first ferromagnetic layer; a non-magnetic spacer layer on the first ferromagnetic layer, where the non-magnetic spacer layer comprises at least one of Ru, Ir, Ta, Cr, W, Mo, Re, Hf, Zr, or V; a second ferromagnetic layer on the non-magnetic spacer layer; and an oxide layer on the second ferromagnetic layer. The magnetic device also may include a voltage source configured to apply a bias voltage across the layer stack to cause switching of a magnetic orientation of the second ferromagnetic layer without application of an external magnetic field or a current. A thickness and composition of the non-magnetic spacer layer may be selected to enable a switching direction of the magnetic orientation of the second ferromagnetic layer to be controlled by a sign of the bias voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignees: Regents of the University of Minnesota, Carnegie Mellon University
    Inventors: Jian-Ping Wang, Delin Zhang, Sara A. Majetich, Mukund Bapna
  • Patent number: 10727404
    Abstract: A tunable resistive element includes a first terminal, a second terminal and a resistive layer having a tunable resistive material. The resistive layer is arranged between the first terminal and the second terminal. The resistive element further includes a piezoelectric layer having a piezoelectric material. The piezoelectric layer is adapted to apply stress to the resistive layer. An electrical resistance of the tunable resistive material is dependent upon a first electrical control signal applied to the first terminal and the second terminal as well as upon the stress applied by the piezoelectric layer to the resistive layer. The stress applied by the piezoelectric layer is dependent on a second electrical control signal applied to the piezoelectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jean Fompeyrine, Youri Popoff, Stefan Abel
  • Patent number: 10700126
    Abstract: A magnetic random access memory (MRAM) includes device strings coupled in parallel, each comprising magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) coupled in serial, wherein a quantity of the MTJs of each of the device strings is equal to a quantity of the device strings, and an equivalent resistance (Req) of the MTJs is equal to an average of the sum of a high resistance of one of the MTJs and a low resistance of another MTJ.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Ting-Hsiang Huang, Yi-Chung Sheng, Sheng-Yuan Hsueh, Kuo-Hsing Lee, Chih-Kai Kang
  • Patent number: 10504594
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory includes a back gate, a first graphene ribbon layer, a dielectric layer, a second graphene ribbon layer and a porous dielectric layer. The back gate is disposed in a substrate. The first graphene ribbon layer is disposed on the substrate. The dielectric layer covers the first graphene ribbon layer but exposes an exposed part of the first graphene ribbon layer. The second graphene ribbon layer including two end parts connected by a cantilever part is disposed above the first graphene ribbon layer, and the cantilever part is right above the exposed part of the first graphene ribbon layer. The porous dielectric layer is disposed on the dielectric layer and seals the cantilever part. The present invention also provides a method of forming said non-volatile memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Ai-Sen Liu, Bin-Siang Tsai, Chin-Fu Lin
  • Patent number: 10418546
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor is provided which can improve density of magnetoresistance effect elements without narrowing the wiring pitch. A plurality of element array layers 10 are stacked one on another, each of the element array layers including a plurality of magnetoresistance effect elements 1 arranged in parallel in an in-plane direction, and magnetoresistance effect elements 1 in the plurality of element array layers 10 are connected in series to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuya Hiraki, Naoki Ohta, Hiraku Hirabayashi, Yoshiaki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9916882
    Abstract: A magnetic memory of an embodiment includes: a first to third terminals; a magnetoresistive element including a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a first nonmagnetic layer; a second nonmagnetic layer including a first to third portions, the first portion being located between the second and the third portions, the second and third portions being electrically connected to the second and third terminals respectively, the first magnetic layer being disposed between the first portion and the first nonmagnetic layer; and a third nonmagnetic layer including a fourth to sixth portions, the fourth portion being located between the first portion and the first magnetic layer, the fifth portion including a first region extending from the magnetoresistive element to the second terminal, the sixth portion including a second region extending from the magnetoresistive element to the third terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Satoshi Shirotori, Hiroaki Yoda, Yuichi Ohsawa, Yuuzo Kamiguchi, Naoharu Shimomura, Tadaomi Daibou, Tomoaki Inokuchi
  • Patent number: 9721653
    Abstract: A three-dimensional array especially adapted for memory elements that reversibly change a level of electrical conductance in response to a voltage difference being applied across them. Memory elements are formed across a plurality of planes positioned different distances above a semiconductor substrate. Bit lines to which the memory elements of all planes are connected are oriented vertically from the substrate and through the plurality of planes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Tianhong Yan, George Samachisa
  • Patent number: 9711200
    Abstract: A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device is provided that includes a MTJ element and a control wire. The MTJ element includes a top ferromagnet layer formed of a first magnetic material, a tunneling layer, and a bottom ferromagnet layer formed of a second magnetic material. The tunneling layer is mounted between the top ferromagnet layer and the bottom ferromagnet layer. The control wire is configured to conduct a charge pulse. A direction of charge flow in the control wire extends substantially perpendicular to a magnetization direction of the top ferromagnet layer. The control wire is positioned sufficiently close to the top ferromagnet layer to reverse the magnetization direction of the top ferromagnet layer when the charge pulse flows therethrough while not reversing the magnetization direction of the bottom ferromagnet layer when the charge pulse flows therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Northwestern University
    Inventors: Joseph Shimon Friedman, Alan V. Sahakian
  • Patent number: 9691978
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of first wirings, a plurality of second wirings, a variable resistance layer, a first barrier insulating layer, and a second barrier insulating layer. The first wirings are disposed at predetermined pitches in a first direction intersecting with a substrate. The second wirings are disposed at predetermined pitches in a second direction intersecting with the first direction. The second wirings are formed to extend in the first direction. The variable resistance layer is disposed between the first wiring and the second wiring. The variable resistance layer is disposed at a position where the first wiring intersects with the second wiring. The first barrier insulating layer is disposed between the first wiring and the variable resistance layer. The second barrier insulating layer is disposed between the second wiring and the variable resistance layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Shuichi Toriyama, Reika Ichihara
  • Patent number: 9678179
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a tester includes a magnetic shield portion having a space which is shielded from an external magnetic field, a controller generating a test signal for testing a magnetic memory having a magnetoresistive element provided in the space, an interface portion in the space, the interface portion which functions as an interface between the controller and the magnetic memory, and a magnetic field generating portion in the space, the magnetic field generating portion generating a test magnetic field while the magnetic memory is tested by the test signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Tatsuya Kishi, Sumio Ikegawa
  • Patent number: 9671373
    Abstract: A magnetostrictive transducer assembly for generating a longitudinal elastic guided wave of a selected frequency and mode and for guiding the wave into an open end of a heat exchanger tube for testing the tube. The transducer assembly comprises a current-carrying coil of wire, a magnetostrictive material wrapped around the coil of wire, a mechanism for pressing the magnetostrictive material against an inner surface of the tube, and one or more biasing magnets placed in the vicinity of the current-carrying coil of wire and the magnetostrictive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: KOCH HEAT TRANSFER COMPANY, LP
    Inventors: Cody J. Borigo, Steven E. Owens, Joseph L. Rose, Jason K. Van Velsor
  • Patent number: 9595326
    Abstract: An electronic device comprising a semiconductor memory unit that may include a cell array including a plurality of storage cells; a first line connected to one ends of the plurality of storage cells; a second line connected to the other ends of the plurality of storage cells; a first driver connected to one end of the first line at a first contact location on one side of the cell array, and configured to apply a first electrical signal to the one end of the first line; and a second driver connected to one end of the second line at a second contact location on a side of the cell array opposing the side of the cell array where the first contact location is located, and configured to apply a second electrical signal to the one end of the second line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Dong-Keun Kim
  • Patent number: 9548097
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic random access memory includes a write circuit to write complementary data to first and second magnetoresistive elements, and a read circuit to read the complementary data from the first and second magnetoresistive elements. The control circuit is configured to change the first and second bit lines to a floating state after setting the first and second bit lines to a first potential, and change a potential of the first bit line in the floating state to a first value in accordance with a resistance value of the first magnetoresistive element and a potential of the second bit line in the floating state to a second value in accordance with a resistance value of the second magnetoresistive element by setting the common source line to a second potential higher than the first potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Hiroki Noguchi, Keiko Abe, Kazutaka Ikegami, Shinobu Fujita
  • Patent number: 9449892
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a manufacturing method of a magnetic memory device, includes obtaining first and second magnetic fields for each of magnetoresistive effect elements, defining a group of the elements, for the first and second magnetic fields of the elements in the group, a highest first magnetic field being lower than a lowest second magnetic field, and a difference between the highest first magnetic field and the lowest second magnetic field being greater than a predetermined difference, determining a maximum applied magnetic field higher than the highest first magnetic field and lower than the lowest second magnetic field, and obtaining magnetic characteristics for each of the elements in the group by applying a magnetic field decreasing from the maximum applied magnetic field after the magnetic field is increased up to the maximum applied magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Hisanori Aikawa, Masayoshi Iwayama, Akiyuki Murayama
  • Patent number: 9424893
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for storing, reading, and writing data using particle-based acoustic wave driven shift registers. The shift registers may physically shift particles along rows and/or columns of wells through the interactions of two parallel surfaces. A transducer may generate an acoustic wave to displace one or more of the two parallel surfaces. The particles may be transferred to and/or otherwise constrained by a buffer surface during at least a portion of the acoustic wave, such that the particles may be shifted during one or more cycles of the acoustic wave. In various embodiments, the amplitude of the acoustic wave may correspond to the spacing distance between each of the wells. The wells may be physical and/or potential wells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: ELWHA LLC
    Inventors: Philip Lionel Barnes, Hon Wah Chin, Howard Lee Davidson, Kimberly D. A. Hallman, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Jordin T. Kare, Brian Lee, Richard T. Lord, Robert W. Lord, Craig J. Mundie, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Nicholas F. Pasch, Eric D. Rudder, Clarence T. Tegreene, Marc Tremblay, David B. Tuckerman, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9123463
    Abstract: The output voltage of an MRAM is increased by means of an Fe(001)/MgO(001)/Fe(001) MTJ device, which is formed by microfabrication of a sample prepared as follows: A single-crystalline MgO (001) substrate is prepared. An epitaxial Fe(001) lower electrode (a first electrode) is grown on a MgO(001) seed layer at room temperature, followed by annealing under ultrahigh vacuum. A MgO(001) barrier layer is epitaxially formed on the Fe(001) lower electrode (the first electrode) at room temperature, using a MgO electron-beam evaporation. A Fe(001) upper electrode (a second electrode) is then formed on the MgO(001) barrier layer at room temperature. This is successively followed by the deposition of a Co layer on the Fe(001) upper electrode (the second electrode). The Co layer is provided so as to increase the coercive force of the upper electrode in order to realize an antiparallel magnetization alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignees: JAPAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AGENCY, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventor: Shinji Yuasa
  • Patent number: 9007807
    Abstract: The present disclosure concerns a MRAM cell comprising a first tunnel barrier layer comprised between a soft ferromagnetic layer having a free magnetization and a first hard ferromagnetic layer having a first storage magnetization; a second tunnel barrier layer comprised between the soft ferromagnetic layer and a second hard ferromagnetic layer having a second storage magnetization; the first storage magnetization being freely orientable at a first high predetermined temperature threshold and the second storage magnetization being freely orientable at a second predetermined high temperature threshold; the first high predetermined temperature threshold being higher than the second predetermined high temperature threshold. The MRAM cell can be used as a ternary content addressable memory (TCAM) and store up to three distinct state levels. The MRAM cell has a reduced size and can be made at low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Crocus Technology SA
    Inventor: Bertrand Cambou
  • Patent number: 9000546
    Abstract: A spin-wave waveguide includes a ferromagnetic thin film resembling a wire in shape. A part of the ferromagnetic thin film, large in film thickness, is formed at one end of the ferromagnetic thin film, and a part of the ferromagnetic thin film, small in film thickness, and a part of the ferromagnetic thin film, large in film thickness, are alternately formed on the same plane, for at least not less than one cycle. A part of the ferromagnetic thin film, large in film thickness, is formed at the other end of the ferromagnetic thin film, wherein an insulating film, and an electrode film are stacked in this order on the ferromagnetic thin film in the part of the ferromagnetic thin film, large in film thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenchi Ito, Masaki Yamada, Susumu Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8988923
    Abstract: Voltage controlled magneto-electric tunnel junctions (MEJ) and associated memory devices are described which provide efficient high speed switching of non-volatile magnetic random access memory (MeRAM) devices at high cell densities with multiple word access mechanisms, including a burst mode write of multiple words, and a back-to-back read of two words in consecutive clock cycles. In at least one preferred embodiment, these accesses are performed in a manner that prevents any possibility of a read disturbance arising.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Pedram Khalili Amiri, Richard Dorrance, Dejan Markovic, Kang L. Wang
  • Patent number: 8982614
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetoresistive effect element includes a first ferromagnetic layer, a tunnel barrier provided on the first ferromagnetic layer, and a second ferromagnetic layer provided on the tunnel barrier. The tunnel barrier includes a nonmagnetic mixture containing MgO and a metal oxide with a composition which forms, in a solid phase, a single phase with MgO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Makoto Nagamine, Daisuke Ikeno, Katsuya Nishiyama, Katsuaki Natori, Koji Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 8981508
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor having a support with a top side and a bottom side, whereby a Hall plate is provided on the top side of the support and the Hall plate comprises a carbon-containing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Micronas GmbH
    Inventor: Joerg Franke
  • Patent number: 8975091
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device and its fabricating method. Through forming MTJ through a damascene process, device damage due to the etching process and may be avoided. In some embodiments, a spacer is formed between a first portion and a second portion of the MTJ to prevent the tunnel insulating layer of the MTJ from being damaged in subsequent processes, greatly increasing product yield thereby. In other embodiments, signal quality may be improved and magnetic flux leakage may be reduced through the improved cup-shaped MTJ structure of this invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Beijing) Corporation
    Inventors: Min-Hwa Chi, Mieno Fumitake
  • Patent number: 8969982
    Abstract: A multi-layered bottom electrode for an MTJ device on a silicon nitride substrate is described. It comprises a bilayer of alpha tantalum on ruthenium which in turn lies on a nickel chrome layer over a second tantalum layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Headway Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rongfu Xiao, Cheng T. Horng, Ru-Ying Tong, Chyu-Jinh Torng, Tom Zhong, Witold Kula, Terry Kin Ting Ko, Wei Cao, Wai-Ming J. Kan, Liubo Hong
  • Patent number: 8946837
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor storage device is disclosed. The device includes first magnetic layer, second magnetic layer, first nonmagnetic layer between them. The first magnetic layer includes a structure in which first magnetic material film, second magnetic material film, and nonmagnetic material film between the first and second magnetic material films are stacked. The first magnetic material film is nearest to the first nonmagnetic layer in the first magnetic layer. The nonmagnetic material film includes at least one of Ta, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Ti, V, Cr, W, Hf. The second magnetic material film includes stacked materials, including first magnetic material nearest to the first nonmagnetic layer among the stacked materials, and second magnetic material which is same magnetic material as the first magnetic material and has smaller thickness than the first magnetic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Daisuke Watanabe, Katsuya Nishiyama, Toshihiko Nagase, Koji Ueda, Tadashi Kai
  • Patent number: 8941196
    Abstract: Orthogonal spin-torque bit cells whose spin torques from a perpendicular polarizer and an in-plane magnetized reference layer are constructively or destructively combined. An orthogonal spin-torque bit cell includes a perpendicular magnetized polarizing layer configured to provide a first spin-torque; an in-plane magnetized free layer and a reference layer configured to provide a second spin-torque. The first spin-torque and the second spin-torque combine and the combined first spin-torque and second spin-torque influences the magnetic state of the in-plane magnetized free layer. The in-plane magnetized free layer and the reference layer form a magnetic tunnel junction. The first spin-torque and second spin-torque can combine constructively to lower a switching current, increase a switching speed, and/or torque decrease an operating energy of the orthogonal spin-torque bit cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: New York University
    Inventors: Daniel Bedau, Huanlong Liu, Andrew David Kent
  • Patent number: 8908422
    Abstract: A magnetoelectric memory element includes a magnetic element having an easy magnetization axis aligned along a first axis, means for applying to the magnetic element a magnetic polarization field aligned along a second axis not parallel to the first axis, a piezoelectric or electrostrictive substrate mechanically coupled with the magnetic element, and first and second electrodes arranged to apply an electrical field to the substrate so that the substrate exerts, on said magnetic element, a non-isotropic mechanical stress of a main direction generally oriented along a distinct third axis coplanar with the first and second axes. The magnetic element exhibits, by a combined effect of the magnetic polarization field and the easy magnetization axis, two distinct states of stable equilibrium of magnetization, corresponding to two not mutually opposed magnetization directions. The non-isotropic mechanical stress is sufficiently intense to induce a switchover between the two distinct states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignees: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Ecole Centrale de Lille Cite Scientifique
    Inventors: Nicolas Tiercelin, Yannick Dusch, Philippe Jacques Pernod, Vladimir Preobrazhensky
  • Patent number: 8908413
    Abstract: A memory includes a programmable resistance array with high ratio of dynamic range to drift coefficient phase change memory devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Ovonyx, Inc.
    Inventors: Tyler Lowrey, Carl Schell, Wally Czubatyj, Steve Hudgens, Jon Maimon, Jeff Fournier, Mike Hennessey, Ed Spall
  • Patent number: 8908428
    Abstract: An embodiment includes a three terminal magnetic element for a semiconductor memory device. The magnetic element includes a reference layer; a free layer; a barrier layer disposed between the reference layer and the free layer; a first electrode; an insulating layer disposed between the electrode and the free layer; and a second electrode coupled to sidewalls of the free layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Adrian E. Ong, Vladimir Nikitin, Mohamad Towfik Krounbi
  • Patent number: 8907436
    Abstract: Provided are magnetic memory devices with a perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction. The device includes a magnetic tunnel junction including a free layer structure, a pinned layer structure, and a tunnel barrier therebetween. The pinned layer structure may include a first magnetic layer having an intrinsic perpendicular magnetization property, a second magnetic layer having an intrinsic in-plane magnetization property, and an exchange coupling layer interposed between the first and second magnetic layers. The exchange coupling layer may have a thickness maximizing an antiferromagnetic exchange coupling between the first and second magnetic layers, and the second magnetic layer may exhibit a perpendicular magnetization direction, due at least in part to the antiferromagnetic exchange coupling with the first magnetic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: SeChung Oh, Ki Woong Kim, Younghyun Kim, Whankyun Kim, Sang Hwan Park
  • Patent number: 8897061
    Abstract: An MTJ cell includes a first metal layer elongated in the X-direction; a second metal layer separated from the first metal layer and elongated in the Y-direction; a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) interposed between the overlapping parts of the first and second metal layers and having extended parts not covered by the second metal layer, the MTJ including a pinned layer, a barrier layer, and a storage layer sequentially laminated; and a yoke spanning across the second metal layer, with both ends in the X-direction contacting the top surface of the extended parts of the storage layer not covered by the second metal layer, either directly or through an insulator. The planar shapes of the MTJ and the yoke possess a quantum easy axis in the X-direction and Y-direction, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: QuantuMag Consultancy Corp.
    Inventor: Joichiro Ezaki
  • Patent number: 8895323
    Abstract: A method for forming MRAM (magnetoresistive random access memory) devices is provided. A bottom electrode assembly is formed. A magnetic junction assembly is formed, comprising, depositing a magnetic junction assembly layer over the bottom electrode assembly, forming a patterned mask over the magnetic junction assembly layer, etching the magnetic junction assembly layer to form the magnetic junction assembly with gaps, gap filling the magnetic junction assembly, and planarizing the magnetic junction assembly. A top electrode assembly is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventor: Joydeep Guha
  • Patent number: 8879315
    Abstract: Provided is a storage element including a storage layer that holds information according to a magnetization state of a magnetic body, a magnetization fixing layer that has magnetization serving as a reference of the information stored in the storage layer, and an insulation layer that is formed of a non-magnetic body disposed between the storage layer and the magnetization fixing layer. The information is stored by reversing the magnetization of the storage layer using spin torque magnetization reversal occurring with a current flowing in a lamination direction of a layer configuration of the storage layer, the insulation layer, and the magnetization fixing layer, and a size of the storage layer is less than a size in which a direction of the magnetization is simultaneously changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazutaka Yamane, Masanori Hosomi, Hiroyuki Ohmori, Kazuhiro Bessho, Yutaka Higo, Tetsuya Asayama, Hiroyuki Uchida
  • Patent number: 8865481
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) storage element configured to be disposed in a common interlayer metal dielectric (IMD) layer with a logic element. Cap layers separate the common IMD layer from a top and bottom IMD layer. Top and bottom electrodes are coupled to the MTJ storage element. Metal connections to the electrodes are formed in the top and bottom IMD layers respectively through vias in the separating cap layers. Alternatively, the separating cap layers are recessed and the bottom electrodes are embedded, such that direct contact to metal connections in the bottom IMD layer is established. Metal connections to the top electrode in the common IMD layer are enabled by isolating the metal connections from the MTJ storage elements with metal islands and isolating caps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Xia Li, Xiaochun Zhu, Seung Hyuk Kang
  • Patent number: 8860155
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device and its fabricating method. Through forming MTJ through a damascene process, device damage due to the etching process and may be avoided. In some embodiments, a spacer is formed between a first portion and a second portion of the MTJ to prevent the tunnel insulating layer of the MTJ from being damaged in subsequent processes, greatly increasing product yield thereby. In other embodiments, signal quality may be improved and magnetic flux leakage may be reduced through the improved cup-shaped MTJ structure of this invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Beijing) Corporation
    Inventors: Chi Min-Hwa, Mieno Fumitake
  • Patent number: 8853807
    Abstract: Magnetic devices and methods of fabricating the same are provided. According to the magnetic device, a tunnel barrier pattern is interposed between a first magnetic pattern and a second magnetic pattern. An edge portion of the tunnel barrier pattern is thicker than a central portion of the tunnel barrier pattern. The central portion of the tunnel barrier pattern has a substantially uniform thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jongpil Son, Sangbeom Kang
  • Patent number: 8836057
    Abstract: Magnetoresistive elements, and memory devices including the same, include a pinned layer having a fixed magnetization direction, a free layer corresponding to the pinned layer, and a protruding element protruding from the free layer and having a changeable magnetization direction. The free layer has a changeable magnetization direction. The protruding element is shaped in the form of a tube. The protruding element includes a first protruding portion and a second protruding portion protruding from ends of the free layer facing in different directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-chul Lee, Ung-hwan Pi, Kwang-seok Kim, Kee-won Kim, Young-man Jang
  • Patent number: 8836060
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a spin device including: a graphene; a first ferromagnetic electrode and a second electrode that are in electrical contact with and sandwich the graphene; a third ferromagnetic electrode and a fourth electrode that sandwich the graphene at a position apart from the first and second electrodes in electrical contact with the graphene; a current applying portion that applies an electric current between the first ferromagnetic electrode and the second electrode; and a voltage-signal detecting portion that detects spin accumulation information as a voltage signal via the third ferromagnetic electrode and the fourth electrode. The spin accumulation information is generated, by application of the electric current, in a part of the graphene that is sandwiched between the third and fourth electrodes. The first and third ferromagnetic electrodes are disposed on the same surface of the graphene, and the second and fourth electrodes are non-magnetic or ferromagnetic electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Odagawa, Nozomu Matsukawa
  • Patent number: 8836058
    Abstract: A magnetic device includes a first electrode portion, a free layer portion arranged on the first electrode portion, the free layer portion including a magnetic insulating material, a reference layer portion contacting the free layer portion, the reference layer portion including a magnetic metallic layer, and a second electrode portion arranged on the reference layer portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Marcin J. Gajek, Daniel C. Worledge
  • Patent number: 8823119
    Abstract: A magnetic body structure including: a magnetic layer pattern; and a conductive pattern including a metallic glass alloy and covering at least a portion of the magnetic body structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ki-joon Kim, Hyung-joon Kwon
  • Patent number: 8816455
    Abstract: A memory device includes a magnetic layer including a plurality of magnetic random access memory (MRAM) cells, a first conductive layer, a layer including a strap connecting MRAM cells included in the plurality of MRAM cells, and a second conductive layer. The first conductive layer includes a conductive portion electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of MRAM cells, and a field line configured to write data to the at least one of the plurality of MRAM cells. The second conductive layer includes a conductive interconnect electrically connected to the at least one of the plurality of MRAM cells, where the magnetic layer is disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer. At least one of the plurality of MRAM cells is directly attached to the second conductive layer and the strap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Crocus Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Neal Berger, Mourad El Baraji, Amitay Levi
  • Patent number: 8809978
    Abstract: A memory element includes a layered structure: a memory layer having a changeable magnetization direction, the magnetization direction being changed by applying a current in a lamination direction of the layered structure to record the information in the memory layer, including a first ferromagnetic layer having a magnetization direction that is inclined from a direction perpendicular to a film face, a bonding layer laminated on the first ferromagnetic layer, and a second ferromagnetic layer laminated on the bonding layer and bonded to the first ferromagnetic layer via the bonding layer, having a magnetization direction that is inclined from the direction perpendicular to the film face, a magnetization-fixed layer having a fixed magnetization direction, an intermediate layer that is provided between the memory layer and the magnetization-fixed layer, and is contacted with the first ferromagnetic layer, and a cap layer that is contacted with the second ferromagnetic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yutaka Higo, Masanori Hosomi, Hiroyuki Ohmori, Kazuhiro Bessho, Tetsuya Asayama, Kazutaka Yamane, Hiroyuki Uchida
  • Patent number: 8797783
    Abstract: A system on chip (SoC) provides a memory array of nonvolatile bitcells. Each bit cell includes two ferroelectric capacitors connected in series between a first plate line and a second plate line, such that a node Q is formed between the two ferroelectric capacitors. The first plate line and the second plate line are configured to provide a voltage approximately equal to first voltage while the bit cell is not being accessed. A clamping circuit is coupled to the node Q and is operable to clamp the node Q to a voltage approximately equal to first voltage while the bit cell is not being accessed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven Craig Bartling, Sudhanshu Khanna
  • Patent number: 8796796
    Abstract: A magnetic junction is provided. The magnetic junction includes a reference stack, a nonmagnetic spacer layer and a free layer. The reference stack includes a high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) layer and a graded polarization enhancement layer (PEL) between the high PMA and nonmagnetic spacer layers. The PEL is magnetically coupled with the reference layer. The PEL includes magnetic layers and nonmagnetic insertion layers. At least part of the PEL has a spin polarization greater than the PMA layer's. The nonmagnetic insertion layers are configured such that the magnetic layers are ferromagnetically coupled and the crystalline orientations of the high PMA and nonmagnetic spacer layers are decoupled. Each nonmagnetic insertion layer's thickness is insufficient for the crystalline orientations to be decoupled in the absence of the remaining nonmagnetic insertion layers. The free layer is switchable between stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Steven M. Watts, Kiseok Moon
  • Patent number: 8792271
    Abstract: A magnetic memory device comprises a first electrode, a second electrode, a laminated structure comprising plural first magnetic layers being provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, a second magnetic layer comprising different composition elements from that of the first magnetic layer and being provided between plural first magnetic layers, a piezoelectric body provided on a opposite side to a side where the first electrode is provided in the laminated structure, and a third electrode applying voltage to the piezoelectric body and provided on a different position from a position where the first electrode is provided in the piezoelectric body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hirofumi Morise, Hideaki Fukuzawa, Akira Kikitsu, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi
  • Patent number: 8765490
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a semiconductor MRAM device and a manufacturing method. The device reduces magnetic field induction “interference” (disturbance) phenomenon between adjacent magnetic tunnel junctions when data is written and read. This semiconductor MRAM device comprises a magnetic tunnel junction unit and a magnetic shielding material layer covering the sidewalls of the magnetic tunnel junction unit. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises: forming a magnetic tunnel junction unit, depositing an isolation dielectric layer to cover the top and the sidewall of the magnetic tunnel junction unit, and depositing a magnetic shielding material layer on the isolation dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignees: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation, Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Beijing) Corporation
    Inventor: Gavin Zeng
  • Patent number: 8760915
    Abstract: A high speed, low power method to control and switch the magnetization direction and/or helicity of a magnetic region in a magnetic device for memory cells using spin polarized electrical current. The magnetic device comprises a reference magnetic layer with a fixed magnetic helicity and/or magnetization direction and a free magnetic layer with a changeable magnetic helicity and/or magnetization direction. The fixed magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer are preferably separated by a non-magnetic layer. The fixed and free magnetic layers may have magnetization directions at a substantially non-zero angle relative to the layer normal. A current can be applied to the device to induce a torque that alters the magnetic state of the device so that it can act as a magnetic memory for writing information. The resistance, which depends on the magnetic state of the device, is measured to read out the information stored in the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: New York University
    Inventors: Andrew Kent, Daniel L. Stein, Jean-Marc Beaujour