Submicron spin valve magnetoresistive random access memory cell

Spin valve magnetoresistive random access memory cells with widths varying from 1.5 to 0.25 mu m and an aspect ratio of length/width more than 10 were fabricated and tested. In general, the switching field of the free magnetic layer was found to be inversely proportional to the width of the cell. Adequate pinning was shown for cell width down to 0.75 mu m. For 0.5 and 0.25 mu m wide cells, the switching field of the free magnetic layer is comparable to the pinning field of the ether magnetic layer. So the pinned magnetic layer rotates with the free magnetic layer. The giant magnetoresistive ratio of the cell drops dramatically. Potentially, this may be a fundamental problem for this memory mode. Solutions are proposed. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.