Patent US6297983B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US6297983B1 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Reference layer structure in a magnetic storage cell

Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
•
Filing: 2000-02-29
•
Granted: 2001-10-02
•
Expires: 2020-02-29
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A magnetic storage cell includes an active layer and a reference layer which is structured to minimize disruptions to magnetization in its active layer. The reference layer is structured so that a pair of its opposing edges overlap a pair of corresponding edges of the active layer. This may be used minimize the effects of demagnetization fields on the active layer. In addition, the reference layer may be thinned at its opposing edges to control the effects of coupling fields on the active layer and balance the demagnetization field.

Inventors

  • 👤 Manoj Bhattacharyya

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-02 17:39
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11C; G11C11/00; G11C11/02; G11C11/16; G11C11/161

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 49 words
A magnetic storage cell, comprising: an active layer; a reference layer having a pair of opposing edges that overlap a pair of opposing edges of the active layer by a distance which is selected to control a demagnetization field from the reference layer that acts on the active layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 49 words
A magnetic storage cell, comprising: an active layer; a reference layer having a pair of opposing edges that overlap a pair of opposing edges of the active layer by a distance which is selected to control a demagnetization field from the reference layer that acts on the active layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 116 words
A magnetic storage cell, comprising: an active layer; a reference layer which is structured to minimize disruptions to magnetization in the active layer, the reference layer having a pair of opposing edges that overlap a pair of opposing edges of the active layer wherein a distance by which the opposing edges of the reference layer overlap the opposing edges of the active layer is selected to control a demagnetization field from the reference layer that acts on the active layer and wherein the reference layer has a first thickness at the opposing edges of the reference layer and a second thickness at an interior region such that the first thickness is less than the second thickness.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 116 words
A magnetic storage cell, comprising: an active layer; a reference layer which is structured to minimize disruptions to magnetization in the active layer, the reference layer having a pair of opposing edges that overlap a pair of opposing edges of the active layer wherein a distance by which the opposing edges of the reference layer overlap the opposing edges of the active layer is selected to control a demagnetization field from the reference layer that acts on the active layer and wherein the reference layer has a first thickness at the opposing edges of the reference layer and a second thickness at an interior region such that the first thickness is less than the second thickness.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 39 words
The magnetic storage cell of claim 2 , wherein an amount by which the first thickness is less than the second thickness is selected to control a coupling field from the reference layer that acts on the active layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 46 words
The magnetic storage cell of claim 3 , wherein the amount by which the first thickness is less than the second thickness and the distance by which the opposing edges overlap are selected to balance the demagnetization and coupling fields that act on the active layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 65 words
A magnetic memory comprising an array of magnetic storage cells wherein at least one of the magnetic storage cells includes an active layer and a reference layer having a pair of opposing edges that overlap a pair of opposing edges of the active layer by a distance which is selected to control a demagnetization field from the reference layer that acts on the active layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 65 words
A magnetic memory comprising an array of magnetic storage cells wherein at least one of the magnetic storage cells includes an active layer and a reference layer having a pair of opposing edges that overlap a pair of opposing edges of the active layer by a distance which is selected to control a demagnetization field from the reference layer that acts on the active layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 132 words
A magnetic memory comprising an arry of magnetic storage cells wherein at least one of the magnetic storage cells includes an active layer and a reference layer which is structured to minimize disruptions to magnetization in the active layer, the reference layer having a pair of opposing edges that overlap a pair of opposing edges of the active layer wherein a distance by which the opposing edges of the reference layer overlap the opposing edges of the active layer is selected to control a demagnetization field from the reference layer that acts on the active layer and wherein the reference layer has a first thickness at the opposing edges of the reference layer and a second thickness at an interior region such that the first thickness is less than the second thickness.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 132 words
A magnetic memory comprising an arry of magnetic storage cells wherein at least one of the magnetic storage cells includes an active layer and a reference layer which is structured to minimize disruptions to magnetization in the active layer, the reference layer having a pair of opposing edges that overlap a pair of opposing edges of the active layer wherein a distance by which the opposing edges of the reference layer overlap the opposing edges of the active layer is selected to control a demagnetization field from the reference layer that acts on the active layer and wherein the reference layer has a first thickness at the opposing edges of the reference layer and a second thickness at an interior region such that the first thickness is less than the second thickness.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 38 words
The magnetic memory of claim 6 , wherein an amount by which the first thickness is less than the second thickness is selected to control a coupling field from the reference layer that acts on the active layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 45 words
The magnetic memory of claim 7 , wherein the amount by which the first thickness is less than the second thickness and the distance by which the opposing edges overlap are selected to balance the demagnetization and coupling fields that act on the active layer.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5650958A Cited
US5841692A Cited
US5936293A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2004-10-01 2005-04-02 2005-10-02 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2008-10-01 2009-04-02 2009-10-02 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2012-10-01 2013-04-02 2013-10-02 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag