U.S. patent number 3,708,874 [Application Number 05/176,411] was granted by the patent office on 1973-01-09 for method of making a batch fabricated magnetic memory.
This patent grant is currently assigned to The Bunker-Ramo Corporation. Invention is credited to Howard L. Parks.
United States Patent |
3,708,874 |
Parks |
January 9, 1973 |
METHOD OF MAKING A BATCH FABRICATED MAGNETIC MEMORY
Abstract
A magnetic wire memory construction comprising a plurality of
stacked memory planes, each memory plane being formed from two
like-formed self-supporting and rigid metal sheets in opposed
relation. The sheets have channels formed therein using precision
batch fabricated metal sculpturing techniques, with certain of the
channels being filled with insulative material. The dimensions and
locations of the channels are chosen so that precisely located
memory wire receiving tunnels and corresponding insulated drive
line strips perpendicular thereto are formed when the sheets are
placed together in opposed relation. Memory wire elements are
inserted into the tunnels which protect and shield the elements and
maintain them accurately positioned with respect to one another and
to the drive line strips so as to permit achieving a memory of
increased density and speed of operation.
Inventors: |
Parks; Howard L. (Woodland
Hills, CA) |
Assignee: |
The Bunker-Ramo Corporation
(Oak Brook, IL)
|
Family
ID: |
22644252 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/176,411 |
Filed: |
August 23, 1971 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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864616 |
Oct 8, 1969 |
3623037 |
Nov 23, 1971 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
29/604 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G11C
11/04 (20130101); Y10T 29/49069 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
G11C
11/02 (20060101); G11C 11/04 (20060101); H01f
007/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;29/604,625
;340/174PW,174TF,174S,174VA |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
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3665428 |
May 1972 |
Olyphant, Jr. et al. |
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Primary Examiner: Lanham; Charles W.
Assistant Examiner: Hall; Carl E.
Parent Case Text
This is a division of application Ser. No. 864,616, filed Oct. 8,
1969 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,623,037, issued Nov. 23, 1971.
Claims
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or
privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. In a method of making a magnetic memory,
providing first and second self-supporting conductive planar
members,
forming electrically insulated conductors in a common plane of each
planar member spaced from a surface thereof and also forming in
said surface of at least one planar member a plurality of spaced
channels extending in a direction so as to cross said
conductors,
disposing said planar members in opposed relation to one another
with the conductors of one planar member opposite and parallel to
respective conductors of the other planar member and so that the
channels form tunnels crossed by conductors on opposite sides
thereof, and
inserting wire-like memory elements into said tunnels.
2. In a method of making a magnetic memory,
providing first and second self-supporting conductive planar
members,
forming dielectric-filled spaced parallel channels in one surface
of each planar member and a plurality of spaced parallel memory
element channels in the other surface of at least one planar member
extending in a direction so as to cross said dielectric-filled
channels,
forming a plurality of isolating channels in said other surface of
each planar member parallel to said dielectric-filled channels and
having a location, width, and depth relative thereto so as to
electrically isolate spaced parallel conductive portions of each
planar member to thereby form a plurality of spaced, electrically
isolated conductors parallel to said dielectric-filled channels and
located in a common plane perpendicularly spaced from said other
surface, and
disposing said planar members in opposed relation to one another
with the conductors and the memory element channels of each planar
member opposite and parallel to respective conductors of the other
planar member and so that the memory element channels form memory
element receiving tunnels crossed by conductors on opposite sides
thereof.
3. The invention in accordance with claim 2,
wherein said method includes the additional step of inserting
wire-like memory elements into said tunnels.
4. The invention in accordance with claim 3,
wherein said channels are formed using precision chemical etching
techniques.
5. The invention in accordance with claim 3,
wherein each isolating channel is formed opposite a respective
conductor if its planar member with a width extending at least
beyond the nearest side of each of the dielectric-filled channels
forming the conductor and with a depth extending to the
conductor.
6. The invention in accordance with claim 3, wherein said method
includes the additional steps of
recessing the conductors of each planar member from said one
surface thereof,
filling said recesses with dielectric material, and
providing a conductive layer adjacent and in electrical contact
with the surface of each planar member containing said recesses so
as to provide conductive encirclement of each pair of opposed
conductors.
7. The invention in accordance with claim 3,
wherein said method includes the additional step of providing a
magnetic layer adjacent at least one of the surfaces of said planar
members containing said dielectric-filled channels.
8. The invention in accordance with claim 3,
wherein said method includes the additional step of stacking a
plurality of opposed pairs of planar members to form a
three-dimensional memory.
9. The invention in accordance with claim 3,
wherein each wire-like memory element has a conductive inner wire
and a magnetic thin film thereon, and
wherein said method includes forming insulated connecting
conductors in one of said planar members and electrically
connecting said connecting conductors to respective conductive
inner wires of said memory elements.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a magnetic memory and to
a method of construction thereof. More particularly, the invention
relates to a magnetic memory of the type employing wire-like memory
elements.
It is well recognized that the construction of a magnetic wire
memory presents significant problems which can result in increased
fabrication costs and/or degraded memory performance. Such problems
involve, for example, memory wire insertion, drive and sense line
interconnection requirements, cross-talk, excessive heating, lack
of uniformity, noise cancellation, etc.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a magnetic wire memory
construction and fabrication method therefor which makes possible
the provision of an improved magnetic wire memory which
significantly reduces the problems heretofore associated with such
memories.
Briefly, a basic feature of the present invention resides in the
use of precision batch fabricated metal sculpturing techniques on
metal sheets for forming memory planes having tunnels and insulated
conductive drive line strips at predetermined locations whereby,
after stacking of the planes, a modular magnetic wire memory
structure is obtained in which the magnetic wire elements are
uniformly and symmetrically retained with respect to each other and
to the memory drive lines with an accuracy and shielding
significantly greater than would be possible using other known
types of memory constructions. As a result, noise cancellation can
be achieved to a much higher degree than was heretofore possible so
as to permit achieving a significantly greater packing density as
well as an increased speed of operation. Also, the use of
sculptured metal sheets provides the memory with a much greater
heat dissipation capability than would otherwise be possible.
The specific nature of the invention as well as other features,
objects, advantages and uses thereof will become apparent from the
following description of an exemplary embodiment and method in
accordance with the invention taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings in which:
FIGS. 1-4 are fragmentary cross-sectional and pictorial views
illustrating stages in the fabrication of a memory plane in
accordance with the invention;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional and pictorial view of a
memory plane in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 5A is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a modified form of
the structure of FIG. 5;
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the structure of an
exemplary plated wire memory element which may be employed in the
memory of the invention;
FIGS. 7 and 8 are cross-sectional, partially schematic views
illustrating how a plurality of the memory planes of FIG. 5 may be
stacked and peripherally interconnected to form a multi-plane
three-dimensional memory;
FIG. 9 is an overall pictorial view illustrating an exemplary
arrangement of the memory of FIGS. 7 and 8; and
FIG. 10 is a fragmentary pictorial view illustrating how peripheral
interconnections may typically be provided to the memory
elements.
It is to be understood that like numerals designate like elements
throughout the figures of the drawing. It is also to be understood
that various thicknesses and sizes shown in the drawings are
exaggerated for the sake of clarity.
Referring initially to FIG. 1, a rigid self-supporting conductive
metal plate or sheet 10 which may, for example, be beryllium copper
has a first plurality of spaced parallel channels 12 chemically
etched in one surface thereof. The channels 12 are filled with
dielectric material 14 which is ground flush with the surface.
As will be understood from FIGS. 2 and 3, the other surface of the
sheet 10 is chemically etched to form second and third pluralities
of spaced parallel channels 16 and 18 respectively perpendicular
and parallel to the channels 12. The channels 18 are also located
opposite respective channels 12 and have a width and depth with
respect thereto so as to form spaced conductive strips 15 insulated
from one another and from the sheet 10, and supported by the
dielectric material 14. It is to be understood that well known
precision chemical etching techniques, such as photolithograph, may
be employed for etching the channels 12, 16, and 18.
Two identical sheets 10 etched as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are then
accurately fused together in opposed relation to provide the
resulting memory plane structure illustrated in FIG. 4. It will be
noted that the opposed channels 16 combine to form tunnels 22 into
which memory wire elements 25 are inserted as illustrated in FIG.
5. These tunnels 22 serve to hold and protect the memory wire
elements 25 and to keep them accurately positioned with respect to
the conductive strips 15. It is to be understood that suitable
tunnels could also be provided with channels 16 provided in only
one of the sheets 10.
Still referring to FIG. 5, it will be seen that the conductive
strips 15 perpendicularly cross the wire elements 25 on opposite
sides thereof so as to permit their use as drive lines. It will
also be seen that each memory element 25 is completely surrounded
by contacting metal portions of the sheets 10, and that the drive
line strips 15 alternate with contacting metal portions 10A of the
sheets 10, thereby providing good shielding for each memory element
25 as well as for each opposed pair of drive lines 15. If even
greater shielding is desired, a construction as illustrated in FIG.
5A could be provided in which the drive line strips 15 are recessed
from the outer surfaces and the recesses 21 filled with dielectric
material ground flush with the outer surfaces. An adjacent
contacting conductive layer 29 is then provided over the surface
such as by plating or by the provision of a metal sheet fused
thereto to complete the conductive encirclement of each pair of
opposed drive lines 15.
As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, a high permeability magnetic layer
30 of, for example, conetic or permalloy may also be provided on
one or both of the outer sides of each plane in order to reduce
memory cell disturbance by the earth's magnetic field. An
insulation layer 31 is additionally provided in the embodiment of
FIG. 5 to prevent the magnetic layer 30 from shorting the insulated
strips 15.
FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary type of memory element which may be
employed for each of the memory elements 25 in FIG. 5. Typically,
the memory element 25 illustrated in FIG. 6 comprises a beryllium
copper inner wire 26 having, for example, a diameter of 0.005 inch
and on which is plated an essentially single domain thin film 27 of
magnetic material such as permalloy having a thickness of, for
example, 10,000 Angstroms. The plating is done in a circumferential
magnetic field produced by current flowing in the inner wire 26 so
that the resulting film 27 is magnetically anisotropic, displaying
remanent magnetism in the circumferential direction (commonly
referred to as the "easy" direction), but not in the longitudinal
direction (commonly referred to as the "hard" direction). A final
insulative coating 28 of, for example, 0.0001 inch of a
thermoplastic material is applied over the magnetic film 27, such
as by dipping, so as to prevent shorting of the drive line
conductive strips 15 when the memory wire elements 25 are inserted
in the tunnels 22 as shown in FIG. 5.
FIGS. 7-9 illustrate how a plurality of the memory planes of FIG. 5
may be stacked and peripherally interconnected to form a
multi-plane three-dimensional memory. FIG. 7 is a cross-section
taken longitudinally through the center of a wire memory element 25
and perpendicular to the drive line strips 15, while FIG. 8 is a
cross-section taken longitudinally through the center of a drive
line strip 15 and perpendicular to the wire memory elements 25, as
indicated by the line 8--8 in FIG. 7, the line 7--7 in FIG. 8, and
the lines 7--7 and 8--8 in FIG. 9.
The peripheral sections 40 and 42 in FIGS. 7-9 contain circuitry
which provides appropriate interconnections for the inner
conductors 26 of the memory wire elements 25 and the drive line
strips 15. These peripheral sections 40 and 42 may also
advantageously contain the sensing, selecting and driving circuitry
required for the memory. The circuitry in the sections 40 and 42 is
preferably provided using the coaxial packaging techniques
disclosed in the commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 3,351,816 and in
the commonly assigned copending patent applications Ser. No.
613,652, filed Feb. 2, 1967, and Ser. No. 819,888, filed Apr. 28,
1969. As illustrated in FIG. 9, the resulting memory will then
comprise a stack of wafers containing memory wire elements and
drive lines as well as the peripheral sensing, driving, selecting,
and interconnecting circuitry therefor.
It will be seen in FIGS. 7 and 10 that the lower sheet 10 of each
memory plane extends into the peripheral sections 40 in order to
feed thereto the memory wire connecting strips 51 to which are
soldered the ends of the inner conductors of the memory elements
25. The solder is indicated by the numeral 154. Insulative material
53 is provided to insulate the connecting strips 51 from each other
and from the sheet 10. Also, as shown in FIG. 8, both of the sheets
10 extend into the peripheral sections 42 in order to feed the
drive line strips 15 thereto. Thus, the memory sheets 10 may
conveniently be incorporated with the circuitry of the peripheral
wafers to provide the resulting structure shown in FIG. 9.
It will be understood that a memory constructed as described herein
may be operated in various known types of operating modes in either
a destructive or non-destructive manner. One skilled in the art
will readily be able to provide the required driving, sensing,
selecting, and interconnecting circuitry for this purpose. It will
also be understood that, in accordance with well known noise
cancellation techniques, certain of the wires 25 may be provided
without a magnetic film 27 (FIG. 6) thereon so that they may serve
as "dummies" to provide for noise cancellation.
Although the invention has been described in connection with a
particular exemplary embodiment, it is to be understood that the
construction, arrangement, fabrication and/or use of the invention
is subject to considerable variations and/or modifications without
departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the
appended claims.
* * * * *