Intel Corporation
Multi-level magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) devices including mobile magnetic skyrmions or ferromagnetic domains

Abstract:

A MTJ device includes a free (storage) magnet and fixed (reference) magnet between first and second electrodes, and a programmable booster between the free magnet and one of the electrodes. The booster has a magnetic material layer. The booster may further have an interface layer that supports the formation of a skyrmion spin texture, or a stable ferromagnetic domain, within the magnetic material layer. A programming current between two circuit nodes may be employed to set a position of the skyrmion or magnetic domain within the magnetic material layer to be more proximal to, or more distal from, the free magnet. The position of the skyrmion or magnetic domain to the MTJ may modulate TMR ratio of the MTJ device. The TMR ratio modulation may be employed to discern more than two states of the MTJ device. Such a multi-level device may, for example, be employed to store 2 bits/cell.