• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.728-732
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• 2014

Macro-model of magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) for spin transfer torque magnetic random access memory (STT-MRAM) has been developed. The macro-model can describe the dynamic behavior such as the state change of MTJ as a function of the pulse width of driving current and voltage. The statistical behavior has been included in the model to represent the variation of the MTJ characteristic due to process variation. The macro-model has been developed in Verilog-A.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.98-103
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• 2003

This paper proposes new SPICE Macro-Model of Magnetic Tunnel Junction (MTJ) This Macro-Model has five I/O terminals, reproduces MTJ MR characteristics including hysteresis and behaves correctly to time varying input signals. Furthermore, this Model can be easily modified to various MTJs with different characteristics by simply varying internal parameters.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.853-856
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• 2005

Inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching of magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack, which is one of the key elements in magnetic random access memory, was studied. The MTJ stacks were patterned in nanometer size by electron(e)-beam lithography, and TiN thin films were employed as a hard mask. The etch process of TiN hard mask was examined using Ar, $Cl_2/Ar$, and $SF_6/Ar$. The TiN hard mask patterned by e-beam lithography was first etched and then the etching of MTJ stack was performed. The MTJ stacks were etched using Ar, $Cl_2/Ar$, and $BCl_3/Ar$ gases by varying gas concentration and pressure.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.197-204
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• 2002

DRAM, SRAM, and FLASH memory are three major memory devices currently used in most electronic applications. But, they have very distinct attributes, therefore, each memory could be used only for limited applications. MRAM (Magneto-resistive Random Access Memory) is a promising candidate for a universal memory that meets all application needs with non-volatile, fast operational speed, and low power consumption. The simplest architecture of MRAM cell is a series of MTJ (Magnetic Tunnel Junction) as a data storage part and MOS transistor as a data selection part. To be a commercially competitive memory device, scalability is an important factor as well. This paper is testing the actual electrical parameters and the scaling factors to limit MRAM technology in the semiconductor based memory device by an actual integration of MRAM core cell. Electrical tuning of MOS/MTJ, and control of resistance are important factors for data sensing, and control of magnetic switching for data writing.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2003.07b
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• pp.943-946
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• 2003

This paper proposes new SPICE Macro-Model of MTJ(Magnetic Tunnel Junction). This Macro-Model has five I/O terminals, reproduces MR characteristics including hysteresis and behaves correctly to time varying input signals. Furthermore, this Model can be easily modified to various MTJs with different characteristics by simply varying internal parameters.

• 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-%.

• 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.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.101-105
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• 2002

MRAM (Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory) is a promising candidate for a universal memory that meets all application needs with non-volatile, fast operational speed, and low power consumption. The simplest architecture of MRAM cell is a series of MTJ (Magnetic Tunnel Junction) as a data storage part and MOS transistor as a data selection part. This paper is for testing the actual electrical parameters to adopt MRAM technology in the semiconductor based memory device. The discussed topics are an actual integration of MRAM core cell and its properties such as electrical tuning of MOS/MTJ for data sensing and control of magnetic switching for data writing. It will be also tested that limits of the MRAM technology for a high density memory.

• Proceedings of the Korean Magnestics Society Conference
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• 2002.12a
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• pp.60-61
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• 2002

현재 Magnetic Tunnel Junction는 고밀도 자기저항 헤드 및 비휘발성 메모리(MRAM)등의 자기저항 특성을 이용한 소자에 응용하기 위해 많은 연구가 진행되고 있다[1]. 하지만 Magnetic Tunnel Junction(MTJ)을 실제 소자로서 제작하여 사용하기 위해서는 smooth하고 pinhole이 없으며, 절연층 내부에 disorder나 defect가 없는 절연층을 형성해야 한다. (중략)

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.45 no.8
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• pp.1-10
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• 2008

In this paper, we describe a design of a 128bit MRAM based on a new switching architecture which is Local Field Switching(LFS). LFS uses a local magnetic field generated by the current flowing through an MTJ. This mode reduces the writing current since small current can induce large magnetic field because of close distance between MTJ and the current. It also improves the cell selectivity over using conventional MTJ architecture because it doesn't need a digit line for writing. The MRAM has 1-Transistor 1-Magnetic Tunnel Junction (IT-1MTJ) memory cell structure and uses a bidirectional write driver, a mid-point reference cell block and a current mode sense amplifier. CMOS emulation cell is adopted as an LFS-MTJ cell to verify the operation of the circuit without the MTJ process. The memory circuit is fabricated using a $0.18{\mu}m$ CMOS technology with six layers o) metal and tested on custom board.