Abstract: A method (and structure) of thermally treating a magnetic layer of a wafer, includes annealing, for a predetermined short duration, a magnetic layer of a single wafer.

Abstract: A method (and structure) of thermally treating a magnetic layer of a wafer, includes annealing, for a predetermined short duration, a magnetic layer of a single wafer.

Abstract: A method (and structure) of thermally treating a magnetic layer of a wafer, includes annealing, for a predetermined short duration, a magnetic layer of a single wafer.

Abstract: A method of thermally treating a magnetic layer of a wafer, includes annealing, for a predetermined short duration, a magnetic layer of a single wafer, applying at least one local magnetic field to the magnetic layer obtained without making electrical contact to the wafer, and cooling the single wafer using argon. The annealing includes heating only a local area on the single wafer at a temperature of 280 degrees C for 60 seconds in the presence of a magnetic field using a rapid thermal anneal (RTA) lamp. The applying a magnetic field to the magnetic layer is conducted after the annealing and ancludes applying local fields in different directions to different areas of the single wafer. The single wafer includes a magnetic stack formed thereon, the magnetic stcak having a structure of 50TaN/50Ta/175PtMn/15CoFe/9Al/50Py/100TaN.

Abstract: A method (and structure) of thermally treating a magnetic layer of a wafer, includes annealing, for a predetermined short duration, a magnetic layer of a single wafer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for minimizing errors that may occur when writing information to a magnetic memory cell array with an operating write current due to changes in the local magnetic fields and. A test write current is sent to a reference memory cell and the effect of the test current on the orientation of the magnetization in the reference cell is monitored. The write current is then modified to compensate for any changes in the optimum operating point that have occurred. Arrays of reference magnetic memory cells having varying properties may be used to more accurately characterize any changes that have occurred in the operating environment. A phase difference between a time varying current used to drive the reference cell and the corresponding variations in the orientation of the magnetization in the reference cell may also be used to further characterize changes in the operating environment.

Abstract: Magnetic materials and uses thereof are provided. In one aspect, a magnetic film is provided. The magnetic film comprises superparamagnetic particles on at least one surface thereof. The magnetic film may be patterned and may comprise a ferromagnetic material. The superparamagnetic particles may be coated with a non-magnetic polymer and/or embedded in a non-magnetic host material. The magnetic film may have increased damping and/or decreased coercivity.

Abstract: A method for generating an offset field for a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) device includes forming a first pinned layer integrally with a wordline, and forming a second pinned layer integrally with a bitline. An MRAM cell is disposed between the wordline and the bitline, the MRAM cell including a reference layer, an antiparallel free layer and a tunnel barrier therebetween. The first pinned layer is formed with an internal magnetization in a manner so as to create a first external field generally perpendicular to a long axis of the wordline, and the second pinned layer is formed with an internal magnetization in a manner so as to create a second external field generally perpendicular to a long axis of the bitline.

Abstract: A magnetic random access memory (MRAM) device includes a reference magnetic region having a resultant magnetic moment vector generally maintained in a desired orientation without the use of exchange coupling thereto. A storage magnetic region has an anisotropy easy axis and a resultant magnetic moment vector oriented in a position parallel or antiparallel to that of the reference magnetic region. A tunnel barrier is disposed between the reference magnetic region and the storage magnetic region, with the reference magnetic region, storage magnetic region and tunnel barrier defining a storage cell configured for a toggle mode write operation. The storage cell has an offset field applied thereto so as to generally maintain the resultant magnetic moment vector of the reference magnetic region in the desired orientation.

Abstract: A method for generating an offset field for a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) device includes forming a first pinned layer integrally with a wordline, and forming a second pinned layer integrally with a bitline. An MRAM cell is disposed between the wordline and the bitline, the MRAM cell including a reference layer, an antiparallel free layer and a tunnel barrier therebetween. The first pinned layer is formed with an internal magnetization in a manner so as to create a first external field generally perpendicular to a long axis of the wordline, and the second pinned layer is formed with an internal magnetization in a manner so as to create a second external field generally perpendicular to a long axis of the bitline.

Abstract: A method for determining a desired anisotropy axis angle for a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) device includes selecting a plurality of initial values for the anisotropy axis angle and determining, for each selected initial value, a minimum thickness for at least one ferromagnetic layer of the MRAM device. The minimum thickness corresponds to a predefined activation energy of an individual cell within the MRAM device. For each selected value, a minimum applied magnetic field value in a wordline direction and a bitline direction of the MRAM device is also determined so as maintain the predefined activation energy. For each selected value, an applied power per bit value is calculated, wherein the desired anisotropy axis angle is the selected anisotropy axis angle corresponding to a minimum power per bit value.

Abstract: Techniques for processing magnetic devices are provided. In one aspect, a method of processing a magnetic device comprising two or more anti-parallel coupled layers comprises the following steps. A magnetic field is applied in a given direction to orient a direction of magnetization of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers. The direction of the applied magnetic field is rotated in relation to a positioning of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers to counteract at least a portion of a change in a direction of magnetization experienced by at least one of the two or more anti-parallel coupled layers when the applied magnetic field is reduced.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for minimizing errors that may occur when writing information to a magnetic memory cell array with an operating write current due to changes in the local magnetic fields and. A test write current is sent to a reference memory cell and the effect of the test current on the orientation of the magnetization in the reference cell is monitored. The write current is then modified to compensate for any changes in the optimum operating point that have occurred. Arrays of reference magnetic memory cells having varying properties may be used to more accurately characterize any changes that have occurred in the operating environment. A phase difference between a time varying current used to drive the reference cell and the corresponding variations in the orientation of the magnetization in the reference cell may also be used to further characterize changes in the operating environment.

Abstract: A compensation system for an array of magnetic memory cells measures local operating conditions and compensates for changes in the operating characteristics of the magnetic memory cells in the array that result from the changes in the operating conditions. The magnetic field strength near the magnetic memory array is measured. If the magnetic field strength rises above, or falls below certain predetermined threshold values, the write current used to alter the orientation of the magnetic fields in the magnetic memory cells is altered based upon the predetermined operating characteristics of the memory cells. A solenoid or similar type magnetic field generator may also be used to substantially compensate for variations in the sensed magnetic fields. In addition, the temperature of the environment in which the magnetic memory cells are operating is sensed and appropriate changes made in the write current.

Abstract: A method (and structure) of thermally treating a magnetic layer of a wafer, includes annealing, for a predetermined short duration, a magnetic layer of a single wafer.

Abstract: A method for monitoring field events in an MRAM memory device comprises providing a first magnetic storage cell having a switching threshold less than or equal to a switching threshold of a second magnetic storage cell, writing the first magnetic storage cell in a first direction, reading the first storage cell at a time after the writing, and determining whether the first direction has changed, and upon determining the first direction to have changed indicating a warning.