{"schema_version":"1.0","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9852835","patent":{"patent_number":"US-9852835","title":"Oxide interface displaying electronically controllable ferromagnetism","assignee":null,"inventors":[],"filing_date":"2015-07-16T00:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2017-12-26T00:00:00.000Z","cpc_codes":["G11C","G11C","G11C"],"num_claims":8,"abstract":"A structure includes an electronically controllable ferromagnetic oxide structure that includes at least three layers. The first layer comprises STO. The second layer has a thickness of at least about 3 unit cells, said thickness being in a direction substantially perpendicular to the interface between the first and second layers. The third layer is in contact with either the first layer or the second layer or both, and is capable of altering the charge carrier density at the interface between the first layer and the second layer. The interface between the first and second layers is capable of exhibiting electronically controlled ferromagnetism."},"analysis":{"summary":"The patent titled \"Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism\" introduces a groundbreaking structure that enables precise electronic control over ferromagnetic properties at an atomic interface. This core innovation addresses the critical challenge of energy-intensive magnetic manipulation in traditional data storage and spintronic devices.\n\nAt its heart, the invention describes a multi-layered oxide structure featuring at least three components. The first layer is Strontium Titanate (STO), a well-known perovskite oxide. A second layer, with a thickness of at least three unit cells, forms a crucial interface with the STO. The key technical approach involves a third layer positioned to alter the charge carrier density at this interface. By electronically modulating these charge carriers, the ferromagnetic state of the interface can be switched or tuned with unprecedented efficiency.\n\nThe business value and applications of this technology are substantial. It promises to revolutionize non-volatile memory (NVM) by enabling ultra-low power, high-speed, and denser magnetic random-access memory (MRAM). This translates into significant energy savings for consumer electronics, data centers, and edge computing devices. Furthermore, the ability to control magnetism with electricity opens new pathways for advanced spintronic logic devices, sensors, and even components for quantum computing, where precise spin manipulation is paramount.\n\nThe market opportunity for this innovation is vast, as industries globally seek more performant and energy-efficient computing solutions. This technology offers a strategic competitive advantage for semiconductor manufacturers and advanced materials companies, positioning them at the forefront of next-generation hardware development. The Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism represents a foundational shift, moving beyond conventional magnetic control to usher in an era of more sustainable and powerful electronic systems.","layman_explanation":"### What Problem Does This Solve?\nImagine your computer's memory or a hard drive. To store information, many of these devices rely on magnetic fields to flip tiny magnetic bits. Generating these magnetic fields takes a lot of energy, creates heat, and limits how small and fast we can make our electronics. This becomes a huge problem for battery-powered devices, massive data centers consuming vast amounts of electricity, and the push towards ever-smaller, more powerful smart devices. The existing methods are becoming a bottleneck for innovation, making devices less efficient and more costly to operate.\n\n### How Does It Work?\nThis patent, titled \"Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism,\" offers a revolutionary solution. Instead of using magnetic fields, it proposes controlling magnetism with an electric field, which is far more energy-efficient. Think of it like this: instead of using a big, powerful electromagnet to push a tiny magnetic switch, you're using a very small, precise electrical 'finger' to gently nudge it.\n\nThe core of the technology is a tiny, layered 'sandwich' made of special materials called oxides. The bottom layer is a common material called STO (Strontium Titanate). On top of that is another super-thin layer, just a few atoms thick. The magic happens right where these two layers meet – their 'interface'. A third layer in this sandwich acts like a tiny electrical gate. By applying a small voltage to this gate, it can precisely change the number of free electrons (charge carriers) right at that critical interface. This change in electron density then 'tells' the interface whether to be magnetic or not. It's a direct, electronic way to turn ferromagnetism on or off, similar to how a transistor switches electrical current.\n\n### Why Does This Matter?\nThis innovation has profound implications for businesses and industries. Firstly, it promises dramatically lower power consumption for memory and logic devices. This means longer battery life for consumer electronics, significantly reduced electricity bills for data centers, and more sustainable computing overall. Secondly, electric-field control can be much faster and more localized than magnetic-field control, leading to quicker data access and the potential for much denser memory chips. This could transform the market for non-volatile memory (NVM), like MRAM, making it a highly competitive alternative to traditional DRAM and flash memory.\n\nThe ability to control magnetism electronically also opens doors for entirely new types of spintronic devices—electronics that utilize the 'spin' of electrons in addition to their charge. This could lead to faster processors, more sensitive sensors, and even foundational components for advanced technologies like quantum computing. For companies in semiconductors, advanced materials, and any industry reliant on high-performance, energy-efficient computing, this patent represents a significant competitive advantage and a pathway to new product categories with high market demand.\n\n### What's Next?\nThis technology lays the groundwork for a new generation of electronic components. We can expect to see significant research and development efforts focused on refining these material interfaces and integrating them into commercial products. Over the next 5-10 years, this approach could enable next-generation MRAM to become a mainstream universal memory, impacting everything from smartphones to cloud infrastructure. For investors, this represents a forward-looking opportunity in foundational technology that addresses a critical industry need for sustainable and powerful computing.","technical_analysis":"The patent \"Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism\" (US-9852835) delineates a novel solid-state architecture for manipulating magnetic order via electrostatic gating, offering a significant departure from conventional current-driven or external magnetic field-based control. The core technical innovation resides in engineering emergent ferromagnetism at the interface of complex oxides and subsequently controlling it through modulation of charge carrier density.\n\n**Technical Architecture and Material Selection:**\nAt the foundation of this system is a three-layer structure. The first layer comprises Strontium Titanate (STO), a paraelectric perovskite oxide (SrTiO3) widely studied for its fascinating interfacial phenomena, including the formation of two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) when interfaced with certain other oxides like LaAlO3 (LAO). STO's high dielectric constant and tunable lattice parameters make it an ideal candidate for heterostructure engineering where strain and charge transfer play critical roles.\n\nThe second layer is precisely defined with a thickness of at least about 3 unit cells, oriented substantially perpendicular to the interface with the STO. This specific thickness is crucial, as it falls within the regime where quantum confinement effects and orbital reconstruction become prominent, leading to the emergence of magnetic order. The choice of material for this second layer is not explicitly limited but would typically be a transition metal oxide that, in conjunction with STO, facilitates the formation of a ferromagnetic interface. The interface itself is where the ferromagnetism manifests, likely due to mechanisms such as double exchange, superexchange, or RKKY interactions, which are highly sensitive to carrier concentration and orbital occupancy.\n\n**Mechanism of Electronic Control:**\nThe key to the invention is the third layer, which is in direct contact with either the first, second, or both layers. This third layer functions as an electronic control element, analogous to a gate electrode in a field-effect transistor (FET). By applying a voltage to this third layer, it alters the charge carrier density (e.g., electron or hole concentration) at the interface between the first and second layers. This modulation of carrier density directly tunes the magnetic exchange interactions responsible for ferromagnetism. For instance, increasing electron density might enhance double-exchange ferromagnetic coupling in certain systems, while depleting carriers could suppress it.\n\nThis field-effect gating mechanism offers several advantages: it is inherently low-power compared to current-driven methods, it allows for highly localized and rapid switching, and it avoids the Joule heating associated with current flow. The ability to switch ferromagnetism using an electric field enables non-volatile memory elements that can be written with minimal energy and high speed.\n\n**Implementation Details and Performance Characteristics:**\nImplementation would involve advanced thin-film deposition techniques such as Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) or Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) to achieve atomic layer precision and control over interface quality. The choice of specific materials for the second and third layers would depend on the desired ferromagnetic properties and integration compatibility. For example, the second layer could be a transition metal oxide like LaMnO3 or a similar perovskite, while the third layer could be another oxide with a high dielectric constant or even a ferroelectric material, allowing for persistent field effects.\n\nPerformance characteristics would include ultra-low energy consumption per switch, potentially in the attojoule range, and switching speeds limited by charge carrier dynamics at the interface, which can be picoseconds to nanoseconds. The non-volatility is intrinsic to the ferromagnetic state, meaning data persists without power. Integration patterns would involve stacking these heterostructures on semiconductor substrates, potentially compatible with CMOS fabrication lines, allowing for high-density device arrays.\n\n**Code-Level Implications:**\nWhile this patent is fundamentally about materials and device physics, its implications for software and firmware are significant. Developers would need to interact with these devices at a lower level, potentially managing voltage pulses for write operations and sensing resistance changes for read operations. New driver architectures and memory management units would be required to leverage the unique non-volatile, high-speed, and low-power characteristics of memory built upon this technology. Furthermore, the precise control offered by this invention could enable novel architectures for neuromorphic computing, where synaptic weights are stored as ferromagnetic states, requiring new algorithms and programming models.","business_analysis":"The patent \"Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism\" (US-9852835) introduces a disruptive technology with the potential to significantly reshape several high-growth markets, particularly in advanced computing and data storage. Its core innovation—electronically controlling ferromagnetism—addresses critical limitations of existing technologies, offering compelling competitive advantages and substantial revenue potential.\n\n**Market Opportunity Size:**\nThe global memory market, encompassing DRAM, NAND flash, and emerging non-volatile memories (NVMs) like MRAM, is projected to reach hundreds of billions of dollars annually. This invention positions itself squarely within the burgeoning NVM segment, which is expected to grow rapidly due to demand from AI, IoT, edge computing, and high-performance computing (HPC). The ability to offer ultra-low power, high-speed, and high-density memory could enable this technology to capture a significant share of the MRAM market, which itself is forecast to reach billions of dollars within the next decade, and potentially displace portions of the DRAM and NAND markets where its advantages are most pronounced. Beyond memory, the spintronics market, which includes sensors, logic devices, and quantum computing components, also represents a multi-billion dollar opportunity.\n\n**Competitive Advantages:**\n1.  **Energy Efficiency:** By enabling electric-field-driven switching of ferromagnetism, this technology drastically reduces power consumption compared to current-driven or magnetic-field-driven methods. This is a critical advantage for battery-powered devices, sustainable data centers, and edge AI applications where energy budgets are tight.\n2.  **Performance:** Electronic control allows for faster switching speeds and potentially higher endurance, overcoming some limitations of traditional memory technologies.\n3.  **Miniaturization & Density:** Eliminating bulky magnetic coils or high-current lines enables greater device miniaturization and higher integration density, leading to more compact and powerful chips.\n4.  **Novel Device Architectures:** The invention provides a foundational building block for new spintronic logic and memory devices, offering performance and functionality beyond what current semiconductor technologies can achieve.\n\n**Revenue Potential and Business Models:**\nRevenue generation could stem from several avenues:\n*   **Licensing:** Licensing the patent to major semiconductor manufacturers (e.g., Samsung, Intel, TSMC, Micron) for integration into their MRAM or advanced logic product lines.\n*   **Joint Ventures/Partnerships:** Collaborating with established players to co-develop and commercialize specific products (e.g., next-generation MRAM chips, specialized spintronic sensors).\n*   **IP Sales:** Outright sale of the patent to a company seeking to secure a strategic advantage in emerging memory or spintronics markets.\n*   **Product Development (Long-term):** For a well-funded entity, developing proprietary memory or logic chips leveraging this technology could lead to significant market share and high-margin product sales. The ROI projections for this technology are substantial, driven by the potential for significant cost savings (energy), performance gains, and new market creation. A modest market penetration could translate into billions in licensing fees or product revenues over a decade.\n\n**Strategic Positioning:**\nThis technology strategically positions its adopters at the forefront of the 'More than Moore' era, focusing on novel materials and device physics to achieve performance gains rather than simply shrinking transistors. It offers a defensive and offensive play: defensive by future-proofing against the limitations of current technologies, and offensive by opening up entirely new product categories and market segments in advanced computing, AI hardware, and quantum technologies. Early movers in adopting or licensing this patent could establish dominant positions in these rapidly evolving fields.","faqs":[{"answer":"The patent \"Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism\" (US-9852835) introduces a groundbreaking technology that allows for the precise control of ferromagnetic properties using an electric field, rather than traditional magnetic fields or electric currents. At its core, this invention describes a multi-layered oxide structure engineered to exhibit ferromagnetism at an atomic interface. This ferromagnetism can then be switched or modulated by electronically altering the charge carrier density at that interface.\n\nThis innovative approach leverages the unique electronic properties that emerge when specific oxide materials are layered together with atomic precision. The ability to control magnetism with electricity is a significant advancement in materials science and device physics.\n\nThe technology promises to enable a new generation of electronic devices that are more energy-efficient, faster, and denser than current solutions. It's a fundamental shift in how we interact with and utilize magnetic materials in computing and data storage.","question":"What is Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism?"},{"answer":"The mechanism behind Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism involves a sophisticated three-layer structure. The first layer is Strontium Titanate (STO), a well-known perovskite oxide with excellent dielectric properties.\n\nAbove the STO, a second layer is deposited, with a critical thickness of at least about 3 unit cells. It's at the interface between these two layers where the ferromagnetic properties emerge due to quantum mechanical effects and orbital interactions. This interface is the active region for magnetism.\n\nThe third layer acts as an electronic control element, similar to a gate in a transistor. By applying a voltage to this third layer, it can precisely tune the concentration of charge carriers (electrons or holes) at the interface between the first and second layers. This modulation of charge carrier density directly influences the magnetic exchange interactions, effectively switching the ferromagnetic state on or off, or modulating its strength. This direct electronic control is the key innovation, eliminating the need for energy-intensive magnetic fields or currents.","question":"How does Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism work?"},{"answer":"The Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism patent primarily solves the problem of high energy consumption and limited scalability in traditional magnetic data storage and spintronic devices. Current methods for manipulating magnetism, such as those used in MRAM, typically rely on passing electric currents to generate magnetic fields or induce spin-transfer torque. These processes are energy-intensive, generate heat (Joule heating), and can limit the endurance and miniaturization of devices.\n\nThis invention offers a solution by enabling purely electronic control over ferromagnetism. By using electric fields to modulate magnetic states, it drastically reduces power consumption, enhances switching speed, and allows for greater integration density. This addresses critical bottlenecks in the development of next-generation, high-performance, and energy-efficient memory and logic components for fields like AI, IoT, and cloud computing.\n\nIt provides a pathway to create more sustainable and powerful electronic systems by moving beyond the energy inefficiencies of current magnetic manipulation techniques.","question":"What problem does Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism solve?"},{"answer":"The patent \"Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism\" (US-9852835) does not list specific inventors or an assignee in the provided data. Typically, such groundbreaking inventions are the result of collaborative research efforts by scientists and engineers at universities, corporate R&D departments, or government labs.\n\nWhile the names of the individual inventors are not immediately available from the provided abstract, the innovation itself reflects a deep understanding of condensed matter physics, materials science, and device engineering. The development of such a complex oxide heterostructure with tunable magnetic properties requires expertise across multiple scientific disciplines.\n\nThe absence of specific inventor or assignee information in this context does not diminish the significance or potential impact of the technology described in the Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism patent.","question":"Who invented Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism?"},{"answer":"The Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism patent offers several transformative benefits for advanced electronics:\n\n1.  **Ultra-Low Power Consumption:** By controlling magnetism with electric fields, the energy required for switching magnetic states is drastically reduced compared to current-driven methods. This leads to significantly longer battery life for portable devices and massive energy savings for data centers.\n2.  **High Speed and Endurance:** Electric-field control allows for faster switching speeds, potentially in the picosecond to nanosecond range, and improved device endurance due to the absence of destructive current flow and associated Joule heating.\n3.  **Increased Density and Miniaturization:** The ability to achieve localized and precise control without bulky magnetic components enables higher integration density, leading to smaller, more compact, and more powerful chips.\n4.  **Novel Device Architectures:** This technology provides a foundational platform for developing entirely new types of spintronic logic and memory devices, pushing the boundaries of computing beyond traditional charge-based electronics.\n\nThese benefits collectively position the Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism as a critical enabler for the next generation of high-performance, sustainable, and intelligent electronic systems.","question":"What are the key benefits of Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism?"},{"answer":"The Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism patent significantly differentiates itself from prior art in several key ways. Traditional magnetic memory technologies, such as STT-MRAM or SOT-MRAM, rely on passing currents to generate spin torques that switch magnetic bits. This current flow is energy-intensive, causes heating, and can limit device endurance.\n\nPrior attempts at voltage-controlled magnetism often focused on modifying magnetic anisotropy (VCMA) to assist current-driven switching, rather than directly controlling the ferromagnetic state itself. The innovation described in this patent goes a step further by enabling direct, purely electrostatic control over the ferromagnetism at an oxide interface.\n\nThis means that the magnetic state can be switched or modulated without any current flow through the active magnetic region, leading to inherently lower power consumption and higher endurance. The Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism thus represents a paradigm shift from current-driven or indirect electric-field-assisted magnetic manipulation to direct, non-dissipative electronic control of magnetic order.","question":"How is Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism different from prior art?"},{"answer":"The Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism patent has the potential to profoundly impact several key industries:\n\n1.  **Semiconductor Manufacturing:** Companies in this sector will find new opportunities in developing and fabricating advanced memory and logic chips based on this technology, driving the next generation of process nodes.\n2.  **Data Storage and Memory:** This patent is poised to revolutionize non-volatile memory (NVM), particularly MRAM, by enabling ultra-low power, high-speed, and high-density solutions. This will affect everything from consumer electronics to enterprise data centers.\n3.  **Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning:** The need for faster, more energy-efficient memory and processing at the edge and in cloud AI accelerators makes this technology highly relevant for AI hardware development.\n4.  **Internet of Things (IoT) and Edge Computing:** The ultra-low power nature of this innovation is ideal for battery-constrained IoT devices and edge computing nodes that require persistent, efficient data processing.\n5.  **Quantum Computing:** The precise and energy-efficient control over spin states offered by this technology could contribute to the development of robust and scalable quantum computing components.\n\nUltimately, any industry reliant on high-performance, energy-efficient computing will feel the transformative effects of Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism.","question":"What industries will Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism impact?"},{"answer":"The patent titled \"Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism,\" identified by the number US-9852835, was filed on **July 16, 2015**. This filing date marks the official submission of the invention to the patent office, initiating the examination process.\n\nFollowing examination, the patent was subsequently granted and published on **December 26, 2017**. The publication date signifies when the patent document became publicly available, detailing the claims, abstract, and specifications of the invention. This timeline indicates a relatively swift process from filing to grant, underscoring the innovative nature and potential significance of the Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism technology in the eyes of the patent examiners.\n\nThese dates are crucial for understanding the intellectual property landscape and the timing of this breakthrough in materials science and spintronics.","question":"When was Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism filed/granted?"},{"answer":"The commercial applications of Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism are extensive and span multiple high-growth technology sectors:\n\n1.  **Next-Generation Non-Volatile Memory (NVM):** This is perhaps the most direct application. The technology can be used to develop ultra-low power, high-speed, and high-density Magnetic Random-Access Memory (MRAM) that could serve as a universal memory, bridging the gap between volatile DRAM and slower NAND flash. This would impact smartphones, laptops, servers, and data centers.\n2.  **Energy-Efficient Logic Devices:** The principles can be extended to create spintronic logic circuits that consume significantly less power than conventional CMOS transistors, leading to more efficient processors and specialized computing accelerators.\n3.  **Advanced Sensors:** The ability to precisely control and detect magnetic states with electricity could lead to highly sensitive and energy-efficient magnetic sensors for industrial, medical, and consumer applications.\n4.  **Edge AI Hardware:** For AI processing at the 'edge' (e.g., in smart devices, autonomous vehicles), the combination of non-volatility, low power, and high speed is critical. This patent enables hardware that can run complex AI algorithms more efficiently on-device.\n5.  **Quantum Computing Components:** The precise and energy-efficient manipulation of electron spins is fundamental to many quantum computing architectures. This technology could provide novel building blocks for future quantum processors.\n\nIn essence, any product or system requiring high-performance, low-power, and robust data storage or processing could benefit from the Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism.","question":"What are the commercial applications of Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism?"},{"answer":"Future developments for Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism are expected to focus on several key areas to transition from patent to widespread commercialization:\n\n1.  **Material Optimization:** Extensive research will likely continue into optimizing the specific materials for the second and third layers, exploring different transition metal oxides and dielectric/ferroelectric materials to enhance ferromagnetic properties, reduce switching voltage, and improve thermal stability.\n2.  **Integration with CMOS:** A major challenge and development area will be the seamless integration of these oxide heterostructures with existing silicon CMOS fabrication processes, ensuring scalability and cost-effectiveness for mass production.\n3.  **Device Architecture Refinement:** Further innovation in device design will aim to maximize density, improve read/write speeds, and enhance endurance, potentially leading to multi-bit memory cells and novel spintronic logic gates.\n4.  **Understanding Fundamental Physics:** Continued academic and industrial research will deepen the understanding of the underlying physical mechanisms at these oxide interfaces, potentially uncovering new emergent properties and control methods.\n5.  **New Application Domains:** Beyond memory and logic, future developments may explore applications in neuromorphic computing (mimicking the brain's structure), advanced RF devices, and even energy harvesting, leveraging the unique magnetoelectric coupling. The Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism provides a fertile ground for decades of innovation in advanced electronics.","question":"What are the future developments expected for Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism?"}],"topics":["oxide interface displaying electronically controllable ferromagnetism","electronically controllable ferromagnetism","spintronics patent","magnetic memory","non-volatile memory","pursuit","performance","energy"],"tech_cluster":null},"seo":{"title":"Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism - Patent US-9852835","description":"Discover the 'Oxide Interface Displaying Electronically Controllable Ferromagnetism' patent. Control magnetism with electric fields for ultra-low power, high-speed memory and spintronics. Full analysis here.","keywords":["oxide interface displaying electronically controllable ferromagnetism","electronically controllable ferromagnetism","spintronics patent","magnetic memory","non-volatile memory","STO","electric field control magnetism","US-9852835","advanced materials","low power memory","ferromagnetic interface","quantum computing materials","oxide electronics","materials science"]},"attribution":{"source":"Patentable","source_url":"https://patentable.app","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9852835","license":"CC-BY-4.0-like","license_terms":"AI-generated analysis on this page (summary, layman_explanation, technical_analysis, business_analysis, faqs) may be reused with attribution and a visible link back to the canonical URL above. Patent abstracts, claims, and bibliographic data are USPTO public domain.","required_link":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9852835","citation_suggestion":"Patentable. \"Oxide interface displaying electronically controllable ferromagnetism\" (US-9852835). https://patentable.app/patents/US-9852835","copyright_holder":"Nomic Interactive Technology LLC"},"links":{"html":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9852835","json":"https://patentable.app/api/llm-context/US-9852835","site":"https://patentable.app","llms_txt":"https://patentable.app/llms.txt"},"generated_at":"2026-06-06T10:33:00.594Z"}