Tohoku University Assigned Six Patents

Magnetic multilayer film, magnetic memory element, magnetic memory and producing
Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan, has been assigned a patent (11,200,933) developed by Fukami, Shunsuke, Zhang, Chaoliang, Ohkawara, Ayato, Watanabe, Kyota, Ohno, Hideo, and Endoh, Tetsuo, Sendai, Japan, for “magnetic multilayer film, magnetic memory element, magnetic memory and method for producing same.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “The magnetic memory element (100) includes: a conductive layer that includes a heavy metal layer (10) containing a 5d transition metal; a first ferromagnetic layer (20) that is adjacent to the conductive layer and contains a ferromagnetic layer having a reversible magnetization; a barrier layer (30) that is adjacent to the first ferromagnetic layer (20) and includes an insulating material; a reference layer (40) that is adjacent to the barrier layer (30) and has at least one second ferromagnetic layer (41) having a fixed magnetization direction; a cap layer (50) that is adjacent to the reference layer (40) and includes a conductive material; a first terminal (T1) that is capable of introducing a current into one end of the heavy metal layer (10) in the longitudinal direction; a second terminal (T2) that is capable of introducing a current into the other end of the heavy metal layer (10) in the longitudinal direction; and a third terminal (T3) that is capable of introducing a current into the cap layer (50).”

The patent application was filed on March 21, 2017 (16/305,649).

Data writing device for variable-resistance memory element and non-volatile flip-flop
Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan, has been assigned a patent (11,133,046) developed by Hanyu, Takahiro, Suzuki, Daisuke, Ohno, Hideo, and Endoh, Tetsuo, Sendai, Japan, for “data writing device for variable-resistance memory element and non-volatile flip-flop.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A data write device for a resistive memory element, the resistive memory element including: a conductive electrode provided at one end of the memory element, and a reading electrode provided at the other end of the memory element being configured to vary a resistance of the memory element by applying a write current to the conductive electrode, the data write device for the resistive memory element further includes: a writing means, an output means, and a control means. The output means is provided between a power supply and the reading electrode. As output signals, a read signal from the memory element and a monitor signal to monitor a writing status of the memory element written by the writing means are output from the output means. By the monitor signal, a termination of data-writing into the resistive memory element is detected.”

The patent application was filed on October 31, 2017 (16/339,818).

Magnetoresistance effect element, magnetic memory, and manufacturing
Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan, has been assigned a patent (11,081,641) developed by Honjo, Hiroaki, Endoh, Tetsuo, Ikeda, Shoji, Sato, Hideo, and Ohno, Hideo, Sendai, Japan, for “magnetoresistance effect element, magnetic memory, and method for manufacturing magnetoresistance effect element.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “The present invention provides a magnetoresistance effect element which has a high thermal stability factor .DELTA. and in which a magnetization direction of a recording layer is a perpendicular direction with respect to a film surface, and a magnetic memory including the same. Magnetic layers of a recording layer of the magnetoresistance effect element are divided into at least two, and an Fe composition with respect to a sum total of atomic fractions of magnetic elements in each magnetic layer is changed before stacking the magnetic layers.”

The patent application was filed on January 18, 2017 (16/479,153).

Magnetoresistive element and magnetic memory
Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan, has been assigned a patent (10,998,491) developed by Watanabe, Kyota, Fukami, Shunsuke, Sato, Hideo, Ohno, Hideo, and Endoh, Tetsuo, Miyagi, Japan, for “magnetoresistive element and magnetic memory.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A magnetoresistance effect element is provided, which can, even in a region where the element size of the magnetoresistance effect element is small, implement stable record holding at higher temperatures, and moreover which has higher thermal stability. The magnetoresistance effect element has a configuration including reference layer (B1)/first non-magnetic layer (1)/first magnetic layer (21)/first non-magnetic insertion layer (31)/second magnetic layer (22). A magnetostatic coupling is established between the first magnetic layer (21) and the second magnetic layer (22) due to magnetostatic interaction becoming dominant.”

The patent application was filed on February 6, 2019 (16/971,262).

Memory that enables direct block copying between cell configurations in different operation modes
Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan, has been assigned a patent (10,957,371) developed by Endoh, Tetsuo, and Ohtomo, Yasuhiro, Miyagi, Japan, for a “memory device that enables direct block copying between cell configurations in different operation modes.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A memory device includes a memory cell array in which plural memory cells are arranged in a matrix manner, and a mode selection part. The mode selection part has at least any two of a first mode, a second mode, a third mode and selects any operation mode. The first mode is for reading and writing 1-bit data with the first memory cell or the second memory cell. The second mode is for reading and writing the 1-bit data with a cell unit including the N first memory cells and the N second memory cells connected to a bit line pair. The third mode is for reading and writing the 1-bit data with a cell unit including the M first memory cells and the M second memory cells connected to the bit line pair. M and N are 1 or more integers which are different from each other.”

The patent application was filed on February 13, 2018 (16/485,289).

Data write circuit of resistive memory element
Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan, has been assigned a patent (10,896,729) developed by Hanyu, Takahiro, Suzuki, Daisuke, Ohno, Hideo, and Endoh, Tetsuo, Miyagi, Japan, for a “data write circuit of resistive memory element.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A data write circuit of a resistive memory element is provided, the device being capable of writing with low writing energy using a simple circuit. The data write circuit of the resistive memory element, includes: a complementary resistive memory element, writing means for making the complementary resistive memory element cause a resistance change, detection means for detecting a writing state in the complementary resistive memory element, and control means for controlling writing by the writing means, based on a detected signal of the detection means.”

The patent application was filed on October 31, 2017 (16/463,938).