• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.271-274
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• 2010

We examined the tunneling current behaviors of magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) cells utilizing conductive atomic force microscopy (AFM) interfaced with an external magnetic field generator. By introducing current through coils, a magnetic field was generated and then controlled by a current feedback circuit. This enabled the characterization of the tunneling current under various magnetic fields. The current-voltage (I-V) property was measured using a contact mode AFM with a metal coated conducting cantilever at a specific magnetic field intensity. The obtained magnetoresistance (MR) ratios of the MTJ cells were about 21% with no variation seen from the different sized MTJ cells; the value of resistance $\times$ area (RA) were 8.5 K-12.5 K $({\Omega}{\mu}m^2)$. Since scanning probe microscopy (SPM) performs an I-V behavior analysis of ultra small size without an extra electrode, we believe that this novel characterization method utilizing an SPM will give a great benefit in characterizing MTJ cells. This novel method gives us the possibility to measure the electrical properties of ultra small MTJ cells, namely below $0.1\;{\mu}m\;{\times}\;0.1\;{\mu}m$.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.11-14
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• 2009

We investigated the I-V curves and differential tunneling conductance of two, CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB-based, magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs): one with a low tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR; 22%) and the other with a high TMR (352%). This huge TMR difference was achieved by different MgO sputter conditions rather than by different annealing or deposition temperature. In addition to the TMR difference, the junction resistances were much higher in the low-TMR MTJ than in the high-TMR MTJ. The low-TMR MTJ showed a clear parabolic behavior in the dI/dV-V curve. This high resistance and parabolic behavior were well explained by the Simmons' simple barrier model. However, the tunneling properties of the high-TMR MTJ could not be explained by this model. The characteristic tunneling properties of the high-TMR MTJ were a relatively low junction resistance, a linear relation in the I-V curve, and conduction dips in the differential tunneling conductance. We explained these features by applying the coherent tunneling model.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.126-128
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• 2001

The effect of rapid thermal anneal (RTA) has been investigated on the properties of an FeMn exchange-biased magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) using magnetoresistance and I-V measurements and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) in an as-grown MTJ is found to be ∼27%, while the TMR in MTJs annealed by RTA increases with annealing temperature up to 300$\^{C}$, reaching ∼46%. A TEM image reveals a structural change in the interface of A1$_2$O$_3$layer for the MTJ annealed by RTA at 300$\^{C}$. The oxide barrier parameters are found to vary abruptly with annealing time within a few ten seconds. Our results demonstrate that the present RTA enhances the magnetoresistive properties of MTJs.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.458-464
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• 2017

A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) based ternary content addressable memory (TCAM) is proposed which provides non-volatility. A unit cell of the TCAM has two MTJ's and 4.875 transistors, which allows the realization of TCAM in a small area. The equivalent resistance of parallel connected multiple unit cells is compared with the equivalent resistance of parallel connected multiple reference resistance, which provides the averaging effect of the variations of device characteristics. This averaging effect renders the proposed TCAM to be variation-tolerant. Using 65-nm CMOS model parameters, the operation of the proposed TCAM has been evaluated including the Monte-Carlo simulated variations of the device characteristics, the supply voltage variation, and the temperature variation. With the tunneling magnetoresistance ratio (TMR) of 1.5 and all the variations being included, the error probability of the search operation is found to be smaller than 0.033-%.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.387-387
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• 2013

Currently, the flash memory and the dynamic random access memory (DRAM) have been used in a variety of applications. However, the downsizing of devices and the increasing density of recording medias are now in progress. So there are many demands for development of new semiconductor memory for next generation. Magnetic random access memory (MRAM) is one of the prospective semiconductor memories with excellent features including non-volatility, fast access time, unlimited read/write endurance, low operating voltage, and high storage density. MRAM is composed of magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack and complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS). The MTJ stack consists of various magnetic materials, metals, and a tunneling barrier layer. Recently, MgO thin films have attracted a great attention as the prominent candidates for a tunneling barrier layer in the MTJ stack instead of the conventional Al2O3 films, because it has low Gibbs energy, low dielectric constant and high tunneling magnetoresistance value. For the successful etching of high density MRAM, the etching characteristics of MgO thin films as a tunneling barrier layer should be developed. In this study, the etch characteristics of MgO thin films have been investigated in various gas mixes using an inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching (ICPRIE). The Cl2/Ar, CH3OH/Ar, and CH4/Ar gas mix were employed to find an optimized etching gas for MgO thin film etching. TiN thin films were employed as a hard mask to increase the etch selectivity. The etch rates were obtained using surface profilometer and etch profiles were observed by using the field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM).

• Proceedings of the Korean Magnestics Society Conference
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• 2000.09a
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• pp.325-326
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• 2000

Low temperature diagnosis was performed as a probe for the integrity of MTJ(Magnetic tunnel junction) process which is optimised for the given plasma oxidation condition. TMR ratio increased slowly with decreasing temperature than that expected from spin wave exitation theory〔1〕. Junction resistance (RJ) does not follow T$\^$-$\frac{1}{2}$/ law below 200 K, indicating another conduction path besides spin polarized tunneling is involved at low temperature. Temperature dependence of conductance dip and bias dependence of TMR with temperature are discussed, from which the quality of tunnel barrier and its formation process can be inferred.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2007

An MTJ element not only computes Boolean function but also stores the output result in itself. We can make the most use of magneto-logic's merits by employing the magneto-logic in substitution for the sequential logic as well as the combinational logic. This unique feature opens a new horizon for potential application of MTJ as a universal logic element. Magneto-logic circuits using MTJ elements are more integrative and non-volatile. This paper presents novel 3-bit magneto-logic up/down counters and presents simulation results based on the HSPICE macro-model of MTJ that we have developed.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.45 no.12
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• pp.1-7
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• 2008

Magnetic Tunneling Junction (MTJ) has been used as a nonvolatile universal storage element mainly in memory technology. However, according to several recent studies, magneto-logic using MTJ elements show much potential in substitution for the transistor-based logic device. Magneto-logic based on MTJ can maintain the data during the power-off mode, since an MTJ element can store the result data in itself. Moreover, just by changing input signals, the full logic functions can be realized. Because of its programmability, it can embody the reconfigurable magneto-logic circuit in the rigid physical architecture. In this paper, we propose a novel 3-bit arbitrary magneto-logic circuit beyond the simple combinational logic or the short sequential one. We design the 3-bit magneto-logic which has the most complexity using MTJ elements and verify its functionality. The simulation results are presented with the HSPICE macro-model of MTJ that we have developed in our previous work. This novel magneto-logic based on MTJ can realize the most complex logic function. What is more, 3-bit arbitrary logic operations can be implemented by changing gate signals of the current drivel circuit.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.44 no.9
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• pp.10-17
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• 2007

It opens a new horizon on spintronics for the potential application of MTJ as a universal logic element, to employ the magneto-logic in substitution for the transistor-based logic device. The magneto-logic based on the MTJ element shows many potential advantages, such as high density, and nonvolatility. Moreover, the MTJ element has programmability and can therefore realize the full logic functions just by changing the input signals. This magneto-logic using MTJ elements can embody the reconfigurable circuit to overcome the rigid architecture. The established magneto-logic element has been designed and fabricated on a triple-layer MTJ. We present a novel magneto-logic structure that consists of a single layer MTJ and a current driver, which requires less processing steps with enhanced functional flexibility and uniformity. A 4-bit gray counter is designed to verify the magneto-logic functionality of the proposed single-layer MTJ and the simulation results are presented with the HSPICE macro-model of MTJ that we have developed.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.105-113
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• 2004

MRAM uses magneto-resistance material as a storage element, which stores cell data as a polarization of spin in a free magnetic layer. This magneto-resistance material has hysteresis, asteroid curve at the thermal variation, and R-V characteristics for switching the data. Therefore, a macro-model which can reproduce these characteristics is required for MRAM simulation. We propose a macro-model of TMR (Tunneling Magneto Resistance) that can reproduce all of these characteristics on HSPICE. Also we propose a novel sensing scheme, which generates reference resistance having the medium value, ( $R_{H}$+ $R_{L}$)/2, for a wide range of applied voltage and present simulation results based on the HSPICE macro-model of MTJ that we have developed.d.d.