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International audience; The feasibility of 3-bits per cell storage in self-referenced thermally assisted magnetic random access memories is demonstrated both by macrospin simulations and experiments. The memory dot consists of a storage layer where CoFe/CoFeB magnetization direction is pinned by an IrMn layer using the ferromagnet/antiferromagnet interfacial exchange coupling, separated by an MgO tunnel barrier from a CoFeB sense layer whose magnetization direction is free to rotate. Writing is performed by heating the antiferromagnet above its blocking temperature by sending a current pulse through the magnetic tunnel junction, with the application of an in-plane field during the subsequent cooling phase, thus setting the new storage layer pinning direction. This pinning direction actually carries the information stored in the storage layer. Reading is performed by applying a rotating field, inducing a coherent rotation of the sense layer, and subsequently locating the field angle associated with the minimum measured resistance. This angle corresponds to the parallel magnetic configuration of the magnetic tunnel junction and therefore allows determining the pinning direction established during the write operation. The number of distinguishable pinning angles defines the total number of bits that can be stored in a single dot. V C 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.

Équipe 107 : Physique des plasmas chauds; International audience; The magnitude of exchange bias (H-ex) at room temperature can be significantly enhanced in IrMn/Co and (Pt(or Pd)/Co)/IrMn/Co structures thanks to the insertion of an ultrathin Cu dusting layer at the IrMn/Co interface. The combination of trilayer structure and interfacial Cu dusting leads to a three-fold increase in H-ex as compared to the conventional IrMn/Co bilayer structure, with an increased blocking temperature (T-B) and a concave curvature of the temperature dependence H-ex(T), ideal for improved Thermally Assisted-Magnetic Random Access Memory storage layer. This exchange bias enhancement is ascribed to a reduction of the spin frustration at the IrMn/Co interface thanks to interfacial Cu addition.

This work reports on advances in MRAM cells aiming at sub-nanosecond switching and for sub-20nm technology nodes. Ultrafast precessional spin-transfer switching in elliptical magnetic tunnel junction nanopillars is possible to obtain in samples integrating a perpendicular polarizer and a tunnel junction with in-plane magnetized electrodes. We show that spin transfer torque (STT) switching in less than 500ps can be achieved in these structures with corresponding write energy less than 100fJ. For high density integration and possibly sub-20nm diameter cells the use of a thermally assisted concept for perpendicular anisotropy cells, where the intrinsic heating is used to simultaneously achieve high thermal stability and low current switching.

On paper, MRAMs combine non volatility, high speed, moderate power consumption, infinite endurance and radiation hardness, all at low cost and easy to embed. Since its inception in the late 90's, however, and despite numerous promising announcements from laboratories, large corporations and start-ups, MRAM has failed to live to its expectations. Large volume applications are still to be seen, with only Toggle switching-based standalone products currently available, at 180nm technology node. The recent advent of spin transfer torque, however, has shed a new light on MRAM with the promises of much improved performances and greater scalability to very advanced technology node. As a consequence, MRAM is now viewed again as a credible replacement to existing technologies for applications where the combination of non-volatility, speed, low power and endurance is key.

This paper describes the working principle of thermally assisted MRAM extending the downsize scalability of MRAM and introducing new functionalities particularly useful for security applications. Ultimately, STT switching assisted by thermally induced anisotropy reorientation can be used in MTJ with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy to obtain ultimate downsize scalability with reduced power consumption.

Synthetic antiferromagnets are of great interest as reference layers in magnetic tunnel junctions since they allow decreasing the dipolar coupling between the two magnetic electrodes and exhibit larger pinning fields than single reference layers. In this letter, we investigate the effect of the insertion of an ultrathin Pt layer in contact with the Ru spacer in synthetic antiferromagnets with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Surprisingly, for Ru thickness below 0.75 nm, the antiferromagnetic coupling amplitude through Ru first increases upon Pt insertion up to a critical Pt thickness (∼0.25 nm) above which coupling decreases. In addition, the corresponding increase of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy enhances the thermal stability of the structure.

This letter presents a study of perpendicular anisotropy in Co/Ni multilayers, which could constitute a thick polarizer in spin torque oscillators or a magnetic electrode in magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJ) with perpendicular anisotropy. Perfectly square perpendicular loops are observed for as-deposited Co/Ni multilayers with various sublayer thicknesses and bilayer repetition numbers using a Pt buffer layer. An anisotropy energy of 1.0 × 106 erg·cm−3 is obtained for 9 nm thick Co/Ni multilayers. For Co/Ni multilayers deposited on MgO, no perpendicular magnetization component is observed in the as-deposited state, but it develops (even in 2.1 nm Co/Ni multilayers) after annealing at 250 °C.

In magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJ), synthetic antiferromagnets (SAF) are usually used as reference layer to minimize dipolar interactions induced between this layer and the free layer (FL). We show here that the use of SAF allows us to reduce the asymmetry of the FL reversal due to stray fields in nanosized MTJs with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.

Magnetic materials are investigated in order to enable a new type of Thermally Assisted Magnetic Random Access Memory (TAS-MRAM). A TAS-MRAM materials stack that is robust against the 400 °C process temperatures required for embedded integration with complementary metal oxide silicon processes is demonstrated. In unpatterned sheet film stacks, a stable resistance-area product, tunneling magnetoresistance (MR) > 100%, and temperature-dependent exchange bias of 1500 Oe after 400 °C anneal are shown for this stack. It is further shown that by doping the sense and storage layers with Ta using thin laminations of Ta/CoFeB, the moment of each layer can be reduced by more than 40% without a major reduction in MR. In patterned nanopillar devices, it is shown that by reducing the moment of the sense and storage layers with laminations of Ta, and by adding a second MgO barrier, the resistance versus applied field loop quality is maintained, while the read field is reduced by more than 40% and devices survive 108 wr...

International audience; rMn blocking temperature ($T_B$) is compared between IrMn/Co bilayers and (Pt/Co)$_3$/IrMn/Co and (Pd/Co)$_3$/IrMn/Co trilayers for different IrMn thicknesses. Exchange bias field ($H_{ex}$) is measured from 5 to 400 K. Trilayers show a more concave thermal decrease of $H_{ex}$($T$) compared to bilayers and, for thin IrMn layers, larger $T_B$ and sharper peak of coercive field Hc around $TB$. This $H_{ex}$($T$) behaviour presents improved characteristics for thermally assisted-MRAM (TA-MRAM) applications, with large $H_{ex}$/$H_c$ ratio. Two physical explanations are proposed: an indirect IrMn intergrain coupling through the (Pt(Pd)/Co)$_3$layer and a reduction of IrMn/Co interfacial coupling due to out-of-plane canting of the IrMn spins.

This paper is focused on thermally assisted magnetic random access memories (TA-MRAMs). It explains how the heating produced by Joule dissipation around the tunnel barrier of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) can be used advantageously to assist writing in MRAMs. The main idea is to apply a heating pulse to the junction simultaneously with a magnetic field (field-induced thermally assisted (TA) switching). Since the heating current also provides a spin-transfer torque (current-induced TA switching), the magnetic field lines can be removed to increase the storage density of TA-MRAMs. Ultimately, thermally induced anisotropy reorientation (TIAR)-assisted spin-transfer torque switching can be used in MTJs with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy to obtain ultimate downsize scalability with reduced power consumption. TA writing allows extending the downsize scalability of MRAMs as it does in hard disk drive technology, but it also allows introducing new functionalities particularly useful for security applications (Match-in-Place™ technology).

A thermally assisted magnetoresistive random access memory device (TAS-MRAM) with reduced power for reading and writing; the memory device comprising a tunnel barrier 14 sandwiched between a ferromagnetic sense layer 16 and a ferromagnetic storage layer 12. An antiferromagnetic pinning layer 30 is disposed adjacent to the ferromagnetic storage layer 12. The pinning layer 30 pins a magnetic moment of the storage layer until heating is applied. Either or both of the storage and sense ferromagnetic layers includes a non-magnetic material to reduce the magnetization of the respective layers. The reduction in the storage layer magnetization and sense layer magnetization reduces the magnetostatic interaction between the storage layer and sense layer, resulting in less read/write power. The ferromagnetic materials in the sense and storage layers may include at least one of Co, Fe, Ni, and any alloy including Co, Fe, Ni, whilst the non-magnetic material includes at least one of Ta, Ti, Hf, Cr, Nb, Mo, Zr and any alloy containing Ta, Ti, Hf, Cr, Nb, Mo, Zr. The antiferromagnetic pinning layer may have a diameter less than 250nm based on the reduction in magnetization of at least one of the storage or sense layer. The ferromagnetic storage layer may be formed by sputtering ,chemical vapour (vapor) deposition CVD or physical vapour deposition PVD , and may involve co-sputtering the ferromagnetic and non magnetic material, or forming multi-layers of ferromagnetic and non magnetic material. The ferromagnetic sense layer may also be formed by co-sputtering of ferromagnetic and non magnetic material or forming multilayers of the two materials. An alternative embodiment (figures 7A/B) comprises a tunnel barrier layer 14 sandwiched between a ferromagnetic storage layer 16 and a synthetic antiferromagnetic storage layer 12, which includes a first ferromagnetic storage layer 11 adjacent to the tunnel barrier layer and a non magnetic coupling layer 15 sandwiched between the first ferromagnetic storage layer 11 and a second ferromagnetic storage layer 13. The alternative structure further allows for a relative increase in the thickness of the first ferromagnetic layer 11.

International audience; This paper reports sub-nanosecond precessional spin-transfer switching in elliptical magnetic tunnel junction nanopillars. This result is obtained in samples integrating a synthetic antiferromagnetic perpendicular polarizer and a tunnel junction with in-plane magnetized electrodes. The out-of-plane precession of the free layer magnetization results in oscillations of the switching probability as a function of the pulse width. At 9.25 MA/cm2 current density, these oscillations have a period of 1 ns with a high degree of coherence.