Thin film magnetic memory device conducting data read...

Details Thin film magnetic memory device conducting data read... Thin film magnetic memory device conducting data read...

2002-06-10

2003-07-22

Mai, Son (Department: 2818)

Static information storage and retrieval

Systems using particular element

Magnetic thin film

C365S158000, C365S207000, C365S209000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06597601

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a thin film magnetic memory device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a random access memory (RAM) including memory cells having a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ).
2. Description of the Background Art
An MRAM (Magnetic Random Access Memory) device has attracted attention as a memory device capable of non-volatile data storage with low power consumption. The MRAM device is a memory device capable of non-volatile data storage using a plurality of thin film magnetic elements formed in a semiconductor integrated circuit and also capable of random access to each thin film magnetic element.
In particular, recent announcement shows that the use of thin film magnetic elements having a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) as memory cells significantly improves performance of the MRAM device. The MRAM device including memory cells having a magnetic tunnel junction is disclosed in technical documents such as “A 10 ns Read and Write Non-Volatile Memory Array Using a Magnetic Tunnel Junction and FET Switch in each Cell”, ISSCC Digest of Technical Papers, TA7.2, February 2000, and “Nonvolatile RAM based on Magnetic Tunnel Junction Elements”, ISSCC Digest of Technical Papers, TA7.3, February 2000.
FIG. 17
schematically shows the structure of a memory cell having a magnetic tunnel junction (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as “MTJ memory cell”).
Referring to
FIG. 17
, the MTJ memory cell includes a tunneling magneto-resistance element TMR having its electric resistance varying according to a magnetically written storage data level, and an access transistor ATR. Access transistor ATR is connected in series with tunneling magneto-resistance element TMR between a write bit line WBL and a read bit line RBL. A field effect transistor formed on a semiconductor substrate is typically used as access transistor ATR.
A write bit line WBL, a write digit line WDL, a word line WL and a read bit line RBL are provided for the MTJ memory cell. Write bit line WBL and write digit line WDL pass data write currents of different directions therethrough in data write operation, respectively. Word line WL is used to conduct data read operation. Read bit line RBL receives a data read current. In data read operation, tunneling magneto-resistance element TMR is electrically coupled between write bit line WBL having a ground voltage GND and read bit line RBL in response to turning-ON of access transistor ATR.
FIG. 18
is a conceptual diagram illustrating data write operation to the MTJ memory cell.
Referring to
FIG. 18
, tunneling magneto-resistance element TMR has a ferromagnetic material layer FL having a fixed magnetization direction (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as “fixed magnetic layer”), and a ferromagnetic material layer VL that is magnetized in the direction according to an external magnetic field (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as “free magnetic layer”). A tunneling barrier (tunneling film) TB of an insulator film is interposed between fixed magnetic layer FL and free magnetic layer VL. Free magnetic layer VL is magnetized either in the direction that is the same as or opposite (antiparallel) to that of fixed magnetic layer FL according to a write data level. Fixed magnetic layer FL, tunneling barrier TB and free magnetic layer VL form a magnetic tunnel junction.
The electric resistance of tunneling magneto-resistance element TMR varies according to the relation between the respective magnetization directions of fixed magnetic layer FL and free magnetic layer VL. More specifically, the electric resistance of tunneling magneto-resistance element TMR is minimized (Rmin) when fixed magnetic layer FL and free magnetic layer VL have parallel magnetization directions, and is maximized (Rmax) when they have opposite (antiparallel) magnetization directions.
In data write operation, word line WL is inactivated and access transistor ATR is turned OFF. In this state, a data write current for magnetizing free magnetic layer VL is applied to each of write bit line WBL and write digit line WDL in a direction according to the write data level.
FIG. 19
is a conceptual diagram illustrating the relation between the data write current and the magnetization direction of the tunneling magneto-resistance element in the data write operation.
Referring to
FIG. 19
, the abscissa H(EA) indicates a magnetic field that is applied to free magnetic layer VL of tunneling magneto-resistance element TMR in the easy-axis (EA) direction. The ordinate H(HA) indicates a magnetic field that is applied to free magnetic layer VL in the hard-axis (HA) direction. Magnetic fields H(EA), H(HA) respectively correspond to two magnetic fields produced by the currents flowing through write bit line WBL and write digit line WDL.
In the MTJ memory cell, fixed magnetic layer FL is magnetized in the fixed direction along the easy axis of free magnetic layer VL. Free magnetic layer VL is magnetized either in the direction parallel or antiparallel (opposite) to that of fixed magnetic layer FL along the easy axis according to the storage data level (“1” and “0”). The MTJ memory cell is thus capable of storing 1-bit data (“1” and “0”) according to the two magnetization directions of free magnetic layer VL.
The magnetization direction of free magnetic layer VL can be rewritten only when the sum of the applied magnetic fields H(EA) and H(HA) reaches the region outside the asteroid characteristic line shown in the figure. In other words, the magnetization direction of free magnetic layer VL will not change if an applied data write magnetic field corresponds to the region inside the asteroid characteristic line.
As shown by the asteroid characteristic line, applying a magnetic field of the hard-axis direction to free magnetic layer VL enables reduction in a magnetization threshold value required to switch the magnetization direction along the easy axis.
When the operation point of the data write operation is designed as in the example of
FIG. 19
, a data write magnetic field of the easy-axis direction is designed to have a strength H
WR
in the MTJ memory cell to be written. In other words, the data write current to be applied to write bit line WBL or write digit line WDL is designed to produce the data write magnetic field H
WR
. In general, data write magnetic field H
WR
is defined by the sum of a switching magnetic field H
SW
required to switch the magnetization direction and a margin &Dgr;H. Data write magnetic field H
WR
is thus defined by H
WR
=H
SW
+&Dgr;H.
In order to rewrite the storage data of the MTJ memory cell, that is, the magnetization direction of tunneling magneto-resistance element TMR, a data write current of at least a prescribed level must be applied to both write digit line WDL and write bit line WBL. Free magnetic layer VL in tunneling magneto-resistance element TMR is thus magnetized in the direction parallel or opposite (antiparallel) to that of fixed magnetic layer FL according to the direction of the data write magnetic field along the easy axis (EA). The magnetization direction written to tunneling magneto-resistance element TMR, i.e., the storage data of the MTJ memory cell, is held in a non-volatile manner until another data write operation is conducted.
FIG. 20
is a conceptual diagram illustrating data read operation from the MTJ memory cell.
Referring to
FIG. 20
, in data read operation, access transistor ATR is turned ON in response to activation of word line WL. Write bit line WBL is set to ground voltage GND. As a result, tunneling magneto-resistance element TMR pulled down to ground voltage GND is electrically coupled to read bit line RBL.
If read bit line RBL is then pulled up to a prescribed voltage, a memory cell current Icell according to the electric resistance of tunneling magneto-resistance element TMR, that is, the storage data level of the MTJ memory cell, flows through a current path including read bit line RBL and tunneling magneto-resistance element TMR. For e

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