Abstract: An MRAM memory cell has a layer system of circular-disk-shaped layers. The memory cell includes two magnetic layers separated by a nonmagnetic intermediate layer. The first magnetic layer or reference layer exhibits hard-magnetic behavior. The second magnetic layer or storage layer exhibits soft-magnetic behavior. Information is stored by the magnetization state of the storage layer. The storage layer has a weak intrinsic anisotropy that defines a magnetic preferred direction. The magnetization direction of the reference layer is parallel to the magnetization direction of a remnant magnetization in the interior of the storage layer. The remnant magnetization occurs as a result of applying an external magnetic field with a field component perpendicular to the preferred direction of the intrinsic anisotropy of the storage layer.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive memory element includes a stacked structure with a ferromagnetic reference region including a fixed magnetization; a ferromagnetic free region including a free magnetization that is free to be switched between oppositely aligned directions with respect to an easy axis thereof; and a tunneling barrier made of a non-magnetic material. The ferromagnetic reference and free regions and the tunneling barrier together form a magnetoresistive tunneling junction. The ferromagnetic free region includes a plurality of N ferromagnetic free layers being magnetically coupled such that magnetizations of adjacent ferromagnetic free layers are in antiparallel alignment, where N is an integer greater than or equal to two. The ferromagnetic free region further includes at least one ferromagnetic decoupling layer including frustrated magnetization in orthogonal alignment to ferromagnetic free layer magnetizations and being arranged in between adjacent ferromagnetic free layers.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive memory cell includes a tunnel barrier region between first and second electrode devices. The first electrode device includes a natural antiferromagnet region. A diffusion barrier region is formed in the first electrode device and serves as a chemical and/or physical transformation region of a surface region or interface region between the tunnel barrier region and the natural antiferromagnet region.

Abstract: The invention relates to a force sensor having a layer sequence with at least two electrically conductive, magnetic layers which are arranged in succession and spaced apart from one another in a vertical direction. In each case, one separating layer is arranged between two adjacently arranged magnetic layers. Adjacently arranged magnetic layers have magnetostriction constants which are different from zero and have different signs. Each of the magnetic layers have one magnetization direction. In the quiescent state of the layer sequence, the magnetization directions of two adjacent magnetic layers are oriented essentially in parallel owing to ferromagnetic coupling, or essentially in antiparallel owing to antiferromagnetic coupling. Furthermore, the invention relates to an array for determining the mechanical deformation in a first direction of a carrier, a pressure sensor having such an array, and a method for determining a force acting on a force sensor.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive memory element includes a stacked structure with a ferromagnetic reference region including a fixed magnetization; a ferromagnetic free region including a free magnetization that is free to be switched between oppositely aligned directions with respect to an easy axis thereof; and a tunneling barrier made of a non-magnetic material. The ferromagnetic reference and free regions and the tunneling barrier together form a magnetoresistive tunneling junction. The ferromagnetic free region includes a plurality of N ferromagnetic free layers being magnetically coupled such that magnetizations of adjacent ferromagnetic free layers are in antiparallel alignment, where N is an integer greater than or equal to two. The ferromagnetic free region further includes at least one ferromagnetic decoupling layer including frustrated magnetization in orthogonal alignment to ferromagnetic free layer magnetizations and being arranged in between adjacent ferromagnetic free layers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a force sensor having a layer sequence for determining a force acting on the layer sequence along a predefined force axis. The layer sequence includes, arranged successively in a vertical direction, a first magnetic layer with a first magnetization direction, a separating layer and a second magnetic layer with a second magnetization direction. Here, the first magnetization direction is secured with respect to the layer sequence. The second magnetic layer has a magnetostriction constant that is different from zero and a uniaxial magnetic anisotropy with an anisotropy axis. The uniaxial magnetic anisotropy is generated using shape anisotropy. The second magnetization direction encloses an angle of more than 0° and less than 90° with the force axis in the quiescent state, and the anisotropy axis encloses an angle of more than 0° and less than 90° with the force axis.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for fabricating a reference layer for MRAM memory cells and an MRAM memory cell equipped with a reference layer of this type. A reference layer of this type comprises two magnetically coupled layers having a different Curie temperature. When cooling from a temperature above the Curie temperature TC1 of the first layer in an external magnetic field, the magnetization of the second layer is oriented by a second-order phase transition along the field direction of the external magnetic field. Upon further cooling below the Curie temperature TC2 of the second layer, the latter is oriented antiparallel with respect to the first layer as a result of the antiferromagnetic coupling between the two layers.

Abstract: An MRAM memory cell has a layer system of circular-disk-shaped layers. The memory cell includes two magnetic layers separated by a nonmagnetic intermediate layer. The first magnetic layer or reference layer exhibits hard-magnetic behavior. The second magnetic layer or storage layer exhibits soft-magnetic behavior. Information is stored by the magnetization state of the storage layer. The storage layer has a weak intrinsic anisotropy that defines a magnetic preferred direction. The magnetization direction of the reference layer is parallel to the magnetization direction of a remnant magnetization in the interior of the storage layer. The remnant magnetization occurs as a result of applying an external magnetic field with a field component perpendicular to the preferred direction of the intrinsic anisotropy of the storage layer.