International Business Machines Corporation
Multilayered magnetic free layer structure in magnetic tunnel junction arrays for sub-micrometer resolution pressure sensors

Abstract:

A sub-micrometer pressure sensor is provided that includes a multilayered magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) pillar that contains a non-magnetic metallic spacer separating a first magnetic free layer from a second magnetic free layer. The presence of the non-magnetic metallic spacer in the multilayered MTJ pillar improves the sensitivity without compromising area, and makes the pressure sensor binary (either "on" or "off") with little or no drift, and sensitivity change over time. Moreover, the resistivity switch in such a pressure sensor is instantly and a low error rate is observed.