Patents by Inventor Daniel C. Worledge

Daniel C. Worledge has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9484531
    Abstract: A magnetic material includes a cobalt layer between opposing iron layers. The iron layers include iron and are body-centered cubic (BCC), the cobalt layer comprises cobalt and is BCC or amorphous, and the magnetic material has a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Guohan Hu, Daniel C. Worledge
  • Patent number: 9472754
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) memory cell that includes a reference layer formed from a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) reference layer and an interfacial reference layer. The MTJ further includes a free layer and a tunnel barrier positioned between the interfacial reference layer and the free layer. The tunnel barrier is configured to enable electrons to tunnel through the tunnel barrier between the interfacial reference layer and the free layer. A first in-situ alignment is provided between a tunnel barrier lattice structure of the tunnel barrier and an interfacial reference layer lattice structure of the interfacial reference layer. A second in-situ alignment is provided between the tunnel barrier lattice structure of the tunnel barrier and a free layer lattice structure of the free layer. The PMA reference layer lattice structure is not aligned with the interfacial reference layer lattice structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Guohan Hu, Daniel C. Worledge
  • Publication number: 20160301002
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) memory cell that includes a reference layer formed from a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) reference layer and an interfacial reference layer. The MTJ further includes a free layer and a tunnel barrier positioned between the interfacial reference layer and the free layer. The tunnel barrier is configured to enable electrons to tunnel through the tunnel barrier between the interfacial reference layer and the free layer. A first in-situ alignment is provided between a tunnel barrier lattice structure of the tunnel barrier and an interfacial reference layer lattice structure of the interfacial reference layer. A second in-situ alignment is provided between the tunnel barrier lattice structure of the tunnel barrier and a free layer lattice structure of the free layer. The PMA reference layer lattice structure is not aligned with the interfacial reference layer lattice structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Guohan Hu, Daniel C. Worledge
  • Patent number: 9466785
    Abstract: Magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) devices and methods for making the same include growing a tunnel barrier layer on a first magnetic layer. A thin layer of non-wetting material is formed on the tunnel barrier layer, such that the non-wetting material forms distinct regions on the tunnel barrier layer. A second magnetic layer is grown on the tunnel barrier layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Guohan Hu, Daniel C. Worledge
  • Publication number: 20160291870
    Abstract: A memory includes non-volatile memory devices, each of which has multiple nonvolatile memory cells. A write controller streams bits to the memory devices in groups of N bits using a write data channel having write bus drivers, receivers and write bus topology that take advantage of high-speed signaling to optimize a speed of writing to the memory devices. Consecutive groups of bits are written to consecutive memory cells within respective memory devices. A self-referenced read controller reads bits from the memory devices using a read channel having read drivers, receivers, and read bus topology that include no design requirements for high-speed or low-latency data transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: JOHN K. DEBROSSE, BLAKE G. FITCH, MICHELE M. FRANCESCHINI, TODD E. TAKKEN, DANIEL C. WORLEDGE
  • Publication number: 20160293241
    Abstract: A memory includes non-volatile memory devices, each of which has multiple nonvolatile memory cells. A write controller streams bits to the memory devices in groups of N bits using a write data channel having write bus drivers, receivers and write bus topology that take advantage of high-speed signaling to optimize a speed of writing to the memory devices. Consecutive groups of bits are written to consecutive memory cells within respective memory devices. A self-referenced read controller reads bits from the memory devices using a read channel having read drivers, receivers, and read bus topology that include no design requirements for high-speed or low-latency data transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: JOHN K. DEBROSSE, BLAKE G. FITCH, MICHELE M. FRANCESCHINI, TODD E. TAKKEN, DANIEL C. WORLEDGE
  • Publication number: 20160284984
    Abstract: A magnetic material includes a cobalt layer between opposing iron layers. The iron layers include iron and are body-centered cubic (BCC), the cobalt layer comprises cobalt and is BCC or amorphous, and the magnetic material has a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Guohan Hu, Daniel C. Worledge
  • Publication number: 20160284986
    Abstract: A magnetic material includes a cobalt layer between opposing iron layers. The iron layers include iron and are body-centered cubic (BCC), the cobalt layer comprises cobalt and is BCC or amorphous, and the magnetic material has a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Guohan Hu, Daniel C. Worledge
  • Publication number: 20160240773
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for a thermally assisted magnetoresistive random access memory device (TAS-MRAM) with reduced power for reading and writing. A tunnel barrier is disposed adjacent to a ferromagnetic sense layer and a ferromagnetic storage layer, such that the tunnel barrier is sandwiched between the ferromagnetic sense layer and the ferromagnetic storage layer. An antiferromagnetic pinning layer is disposed adjacent to the ferromagnetic storage layer. The pinning layer pins a magnetic moment of the storage layer until heating is applied. The storage layer includes a non-magnetic material to reduce a storage layer magnetization as compared to not having the non-magnetic material. The sense layer includes the non-magnetic material to reduce a sense layer magnetization as compared to not having the non-magnetic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventors: Anthony J. Annunziata, Sebastien Bandiera, Lucien Lombard, Lucian Prejbeanu, Philip L. Trouilloud, Daniel C. Worledge
  • Patent number: 9406870
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for a thermally assisted magnetoresistive random access memory device (TAS-MRAM). A storage layer has an anisotropic axis, in which the storage layer is configured to store a state in off axis positions and on axis positions. The off axis positions are not aligned with the anisotropic axis. A tunnel barrier is disposed on top of the storage layer. A ferromagnetic sense layer is disposed on top of the tunnel barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignees: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, CROCUS TECHNOLOGY SA
    Inventors: Anthony J. Annunziata, Lucian Prejbeanu, Philip L. Trouilloud, Daniel C. Worledge
  • Publication number: 20160218281
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to STT MRAM devices. One embodiment of an STT MRAM device includes a reference layer, a tunnel barrier layer, a free layer and one or more conductive vias. The reference layer is configured to have a fixed magnetic moment. In addition, the tunnel barrier layer is configured to enable electrons to tunnel between the reference layer and the free layer through the tunnel barrier layer. The free layer is disposed beneath the tunnel barrier layer and is configured to have an adaptable magnetic moment for the storage of data. The conductive via is disposed beneath the free layer and is connected to an electrode. Further, the conductive via has a width that is smaller than a width of the free layer such that a width of an active STT area for the storage of data in the free layer is defined by the width of the conductive via.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Inventors: MICHAEL C. GAIDIS, JANUSZ J. NOWAK, DANIEL C. WORLEDGE
  • Patent number: 9391266
    Abstract: A magnetic material includes a cobalt layer between opposing iron layers. The iron layers include iron and are body-centered cubic (BCC), the cobalt layer comprises cobalt and is BCC or amorphous, and the magnetic material has a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Guohan Hu, Daniel C. Worledge
  • Publication number: 20160190434
    Abstract: A mechanism relates to magnetic random access memory (MRAM). A free magnetic layer is provided and first fixed layers are disposed above the free magnetic layer. Second fixed layers are disposed below the free magnetic layer. The first fixed layers and the second fixed layers both comprise a rare earth element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Guohan Hu, Daniel C. Worledge
  • Publication number: 20160190437
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) memory cell that includes a reference layer formed from a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) reference layer and an interfacial reference layer. The MTJ further includes a free layer and a tunnel barrier positioned between the interfacial reference layer and the free layer. The tunnel barrier is configured to enable electrons to tunnel through the tunnel barrier between the interfacial reference layer and the free layer. A first in-situ alignment is provided between a tunnel barrier lattice structure of the tunnel barrier and an interfacial reference layer lattice structure of the interfacial reference layer. A second in-situ alignment is provided between the tunnel barrier lattice structure of the tunnel barrier and a free layer lattice structure of the free layer. The PMA reference layer lattice structure is not aligned with the interfacial reference layer lattice structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Guohan Hu, Daniel C. Worledge
  • Publication number: 20160190435
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) memory cell that includes a reference layer formed from a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) reference layer and an interfacial reference layer. The MTJ further includes a free layer and a tunnel barrier positioned between the interfacial reference layer and the free layer. The tunnel barrier is configured to enable electrons to tunnel through the tunnel barrier between the interfacial reference layer and the free layer. A first in-situ alignment is provided between a tunnel barrier lattice structure of the tunnel barrier and an interfacial reference layer lattice structure of the interfacial reference layer. A second in-situ alignment is provided between the tunnel barrier lattice structure of the tunnel barrier and a free layer lattice structure of the free layer. The PMA reference layer lattice structure is not aligned with the interfacial reference layer lattice structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Guohan Hu, Daniel C. Worledge
  • Publication number: 20160190436
    Abstract: A mechanism relates to magnetic random access memory (MRAM). A free magnetic layer is provided and first fixed layers are disposed above the free magnetic layer. Second fixed layers are disposed below the free magnetic layer. The first fixed layers and the second fixed layers both comprise a rare earth element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Guohan Hu, Daniel C. Worledge
  • Publication number: 20160163966
    Abstract: Magnetic memory devices having an antiferromagnetic reference layer based on Co and Ir are provided. In one aspect, a magnetic memory device includes a reference magnetic layer having multiple Co-containing layers oriented in a stack, wherein adjacent Co-containing layers in the stack are separated by an Ir-containing layer such that the adjacent Co-containing layers in the stack are anti-parallel coupled by the Ir-containing layer therebetween; and a free magnetic layer separated from the reference magnetic layer by a barrier layer. A method of writing data to a magnetic random access memory device having at least one of the present magnetic memory cells is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: Guohan Hu, Luqiao Liu, Jonathan Z. Sun, Daniel C. Worledge
  • Patent number: 9318698
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to STT MRAM devices. One embodiment of an STT MRAM device includes a reference layer, a tunnel barrier layer, a free layer and one or more conductive vias. The reference layer is configured to have a fixed magnetic moment. In addition, the tunnel barrier layer is configured to enable electrons to tunnel between the reference layer and the free layer through the tunnel barrier layer. The free layer is disposed beneath the tunnel barrier layer and is configured to have an adaptable magnetic moment for the storage of data. The conductive via is disposed beneath the free layer and is connected to an electrode. Further, the conductive via has a width that is smaller than a width of the free layer such that a width of an active STT area for the storage of data in the free layer is defined by the width of the conductive via.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael C. Gaidis, Janusz J. Nowak, Daniel C. Worledge
  • Publication number: 20160043303
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for a thermally assisted magnetoresistive random access memory device (TAS-MRAM). A storage layer has an anisotropic axis, in which the storage layer is configured to store a state in off axis positions and on axis positions. The off axis positions are not aligned with the anisotropic axis. A tunnel barrier is disposed on top of the storage layer. A ferromagnetic sense layer is disposed on top of the tunnel barrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: Anthony J. Annunziata, Lucian Prejbeanu, Philip L. Trouilloud, Daniel C. Worledge
  • Publication number: 20160043309
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for a thermally assisted magnetoresistive random access memory device (TAS-MRAM). A storage layer has an anisotropic axis, in which the storage layer is configured to store a state in off axis positions and on axis positions. The off axis positions are not aligned with the anisotropic axis. A tunnel barrier is disposed on top of the storage layer. A ferromagnetic sense layer is disposed on top of the tunnel barrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: Anthony J. Annunziata, Lucian Prejbeanu, Philip L. Trouilloud, Daniel C. Worledge