Spin Transfer Torque Memory Devices from Materials to STT-RAM Applications

Yong Jiang is Professor for Materials Science at the University of Science and Technology Beijing since 2004. He received his PhD from the Chinese Academy of Science in 2000 and worked afterwards as researcher for the Information Storage Materials Laboratory at the national University of Singapore. In 2002 he joined Tohoku University, Japan. His research is focused on spin electronics, including current-perpendicular-to-plane giant magnetoresistance, spin transfer torque and perpendicular magnetized thin films. He has published over 120 refereed journal papers and two book chapters. He has been granted 10 patents, with another 10 patents pending. Xiaoguang Xu is Associate Professor at the University of Science and Technology in Beijing. After having received her PhD at Jilin University in 2004, she stayed for two years as postdoctoral fellow at Peking University. In 2006 she joined the University of Science and Technology, Beijing . Her research works focus on spintronic materials and devices, including half-metallic metal alloys, magnetic metal oxides materials and first-principles calculations. She has published more than 50 refereed journal papers and been granted 4 patents.

INTRODUCTION PERPENDICULAR MAGNETIC FILMS Magnetic Thin Films (Co/Pt)n and (Co/Ni)n Multilayers Rare-Earth/Transition-Metal Alloys L10-ordered CoPt (or FePt) Alloys HALF METALS Introduction Electronic Structure and Spin-Polarization Heat Treatment Application SPIN TRANSFER TORQUE Theoretic Prediction of STT STT in Current-Perpendicular-to-Plane Spin-Valve s(SPP-SPVs) STT in Magnetic Tunnelling Junctions (MTJs) Reduction of the Critical Current of STT MAGNETIC RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY MRAM and Spintronics Design and Fabrication Writing Technique Reading Technique Applications of MRAM RECENT PROGRESS IN STT-RAM Structure of STT-RAM Design and Fabrication STT Writing Process in STT-RAM Several Challenges