Spin-orbit torque (SOT) magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) (SOT-MTJ) devices employing perpendicular and in-plane free layer magnetic anisotropy to facilitate perpendicular magnetic orientation switching, suitable for use in memory systems for storing data

摘要

Aspects disclosed include spin-orbit torque (SOT) magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) (SOT-MTJ) devices employing perpendicular and in-plane free layer magnetic anisotropy to facilitate perpendicular magnetic orientation switching. A free layer in a MTJ in the SOT-MTJ device includes both a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) region(s) and an in-plane magnetic anisotropy (IMA) region(s). A spin torque is generated in the free layer when a SOT switching current flows through an electrode adjacent to the free layer sufficient to switch the magnetic moment of the free layer to an in-plane magnetic orientation. To prevent a non-deterministic perpendicular magnetic orientation after the SOT switching current is removed, the free layer also includes the IMA region(s) to provide an in-plane magnetization to generate an effective magnetic field in the free layer to assist in switching the magnetic moment of the free layer past an in-plane magnetic orientation to a perpendicular magnetic orientation.