• Title/Summary/Keyword: magnetic tunnel junction

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High Density MRAM Device Technology Based on Magnetic Tunnel Junctions (자기터널접합을 활용한 고집적 MRAM 소자 기술)

  • Chun, Byong-Sun;Kim, Young-Keun
    • Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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    • v.16 no.3
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    • pp.186-191
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    • 2006
  • Ferromagnetic amorphous $Ni_{16}Fe_{62}Si_8B_{14}$ and $Co_{70.5}Fe_{4.5}Si_{15}B_{10}$ layers have been devised and incorporated as free layers of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) to improve MRAM reading and writing performance. The NiFeSiB and CoFeSiB single-layer film exhibited a lower saturation magnetization ($Ms=800emu/cm^3,\;and\;560emu/cm^3$, respectively) compared to that of a $Co_{90}Fe_{10}(Ms=1400emu/cm^3)$. Because amorphous ferromagnetic materials have lower Ms than crystalline ones, the MTJs incorporating amorphous ferromagnetic materials offer lower switching field ($H_{sw}$) values than that of the traditional CoFe-based MTJ. The double-barrier MTJ with an amorphous NiFeSiB free layer offered smooth surface resulting in low bias voltage dependence, and high $V_h\;and\;V_{bd}$ compared with the values of the traditional CoFe-based MTJ.

A New Reference Cell for 1T-1MTJ MRAM

  • Lee, S.Y.;Kim, H.J.;Lee, S.J.;Shin, H.S.
    • JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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    • v.4 no.2
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    • pp.110-116
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    • 2004
  • We propose a novel sensing scheme, which operates by sensing the difference in voltage between a memory cell and a reference cell for a magneto-resistive random access memory (MRAM). A new midpoint-reference generation circuit is adopted for the reference cell to improve the sensing margin and to guarantee correct operation of sensing circuit for wide range of tunnel magneto resistance (TMR) voltages. In this scheme, the output voltage of the reference cell becomes nearly the midpoint between the cell voltages of high and low states even if the voltage across the magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) varies.

Design of 4-bit Gray Counter Simulated with a Macro-Model for Single-Layer Magnetic-Tunnel-Junction Elements (단층 입력 구조의 Magnetic-Tunnel-Junction 소자용 Macro-Model을 이용한 4비트 그레이 카운터의 설계)

  • Lee, Seung-Yeon;Lee, Gam-Young;Lee, Hyun-Joo;Lee, Seung-Jun;Shin, Hyung-Soon
    • 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.

Magnetic Properties of MTJ by Capping Material & External Field Intensity (Capping Material & External Field Intensity에 따른 자기 저항 특성 연구)

  • 이계남;장인우;박영진;박상용;이재형;전경인;신경호
    • Proceedings of the Korean Magnestics Society Conference
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    • 2002.12a
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    • pp.50-51
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    • 2002
  • 최근 실온에서 약 40% 이상의 높은 자기저항(magnetoresistance, MR)을 나타내는 자기 터널 접합(magnetic tunnel junction, MTJ)이 보고되면서 비휘발성 자기메모리로의 응용을 눈앞에 두고 있다.[1]. 이에 본 실험에서는 Substrate / Ta (base electrode) / NiFe / PtMn (AF pinning layer) / CoFe (pinned) / Ru / CoFe (fixed) / Al-O/ CoFe (free) / NiFe (free) / Ta & Ru (Capping Layer)과 같은 MTJ 증착 구조를 사용하여, MTJ의 보다 향상된 특성을 확보하기 위한 노력으로서 Al-O 두께, 어닐링 조건(Field Intensity & Sequence)변화 등을 시도하였다. (중략)

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HBr 가스를 이용한 MgO 박막의 고밀도 반응성 이온 식각

  • Kim, Eun-Ho;So, U-Bin;Gong, Seon-Mi;Jeong, Ji-Won
    • Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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    • 2010.02a
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    • pp.212-212
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    • 2010
  • 최근 차세대 반도체 메모리 소자로 대두된 magnetic random access memory(MRAM)에 대한 연구가 활발히 진행되고 있다. 특히 MRAM의 magnetic tunnel junction(MTJ) stack을 구성하는 자성 재료의 건식 식각에 대한 연구에서는 좋은 profile을 얻고, 재층착의 문제를 해결하기 위한 노력이 계속해서 진행되고 있다. 본 연구에서는 photoresist(PR)과 Ti 하드 마스크로 패턴 된 배리어(barrier) 층인 MgO 박막의 식각 특성을 유도결합 플라즈마를 이용한 고밀도 반응성 이온 식각(inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching-ICPRIE)을 통해서 연구하였다. PR 및 Ti 마스크를 이용한 자성 박막들은 HBr/Ar, HBr/$O_2$/Ar 식각 가스의 농도를 변화시키면서 식각되었다. HBr/Ar 가스를 이용 식각함에 있어서 좋은 식각 조건을 얻기 위한 parameter로서 pressure, bias voltage, rf power를 변화시켰다. 각 조건에서 Ti 하드마스크에 대한 터널 배리어층인 MgO 박막에 selectivity를 조사하였고 식각 profile을 관찰하였다. 식각 속도를 구하기 위해 alpha step(Tencor P-1)이 사용되었고 또한 field emission scanning electron microscopy(FESEM)를 이용하여 식각 profile을 관찰함으로써 최적의 식각 가스와 식각 조건을 찾고자 하였다.

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