The fabrication of spin transfer torque-based magnetoresistive random access memory cell with ultra-low switching power

• Published in: Japanese Journal of Applied Physics 2024-05, Vol.63 (5), p.5
• Main Authors: Yang, Chengchang, Zou, Sinan, Chen, Xu, Gao, Jianfeng, Liu, Weibing, Yang, Meiyin, Xu, Jing, Kang, Jin, Bu, Weihai, Zheng, Kai, Cui, Yan, Luo, Jun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: back end of line; Coercivity; High resistance; integrated process; low power consumption; Low resistance; Magnetoresistivity; Portable equipment; Power management; Random access memory; spin transfer torque-based magnetoresistive random access memory; Switching; Torque; Tunnel junctions
• ISSN: 0021-4922; 1347-4065
• DOI: 10.35848/1347-4065/ad38c6

We conducted research on the integration technology of a spin transfer torque-based magnetoresistive random access memory (STT-MRAM) cell (one transistor, one magnetic tunnel junction – 1T-1MTJ) on an 8-inch process platform. By combining a 0.5  μ m CMOS front end of line process and STT-MTJ back end of line process, a 1T-1MTJ device with an MTJ of approximately 80 nm is realized. The Resistance(R)-magnetic field(H) measurement reveals a coercive force of approximately 450 Oe for the MTJ. Nevertheless, the 1T-1MTJ device exhibits a critical switching current of 4.7  μ A (from high to low resistance state) and 17.9  μ A (from low to high resistance state), accompanied by corresponding critical switching voltages of 0.05 V and 0.16 V, respectively, which is extremely low in an STT-MRAM with dual CoFeB/MgO interface free layer. Our findings demonstrate the potential for application in ultra-low-power portable mobile devices and embedded systems.