Pseudo spin valve MRAM cells with sub-micrometer critical dimension

Author

Everitt, B.A. ; Pohm, A.V. ; Beech, R.S. ; Fink, A. ; Daughton, J.M.

Author_Institution

Nonvolatile Electron. Inc., Eden Prairie, MN, USA

Volume

34

Issue

4

fYear

1998

fDate

7/1/1998 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1060

Lastpage

1062

Abstract

Pseudo spin valve cells with critical dimension 0.15 μm were fabricated using e-beam lithography and exercised with an externally applied magnetic field. Data indicate that bit end shaping is important for cell stability. At such small critical dimensions, the field required to write a cell is large, approximately 180 Oe for cells with 60 Å and 80 Å thick magnetic layers. A single-domain model was used to predict switching thresholds for various word field rise times. Results indicate that significant lowering of the write field thresholds may occur for rise times less than about 2 ns

Keywords

giant magnetoresistance; magnetoresistive devices; random-access storage; 0.15 mum; 2 ns; 60 A; 80 A; bit end shaping; cell stability; e-beam lithography; pseudo-spin valve MRAM cells; single-domain model; sub-micrometer critical dimension; switching thresholds; write field thresholds; Giant magnetoresistance; Lithography; Magnetic anisotropy; Magnetic domains; Magnetic materials; Magnetization; Magnetostatics; Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy; Spin valves; Switches;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/20.706356

Filename

706356