A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure, a second MTJ structure, and an interconnection structure. The first MTJ structure, the second MTJ structure, and the interconnection structure are disposed on the substrate. The interconnection structure is located between the first MTJ structure and the second MTJ structure in a first horizontal direction, and the interconnection structure includes a first metal interconnection and a second metal interconnection. The second metal interconnection is disposed on and contacts the first metal interconnection.

An electronic device comprising a semiconductor memory is provided. The semiconductor memory includes a substrate including a cell region and a peripheral circuit region, the cell region including a first cell region and a second cell region, the first cell region being disposed closer to the peripheral circuit region than the second cell region; second lines disposed over the first lines and extending in a second direction crossing the first direction; memory cells positioned at intersections between the first lines and the second lines in the cell region; a first insulating layer positioned between the first lines, between the second line, or both, in the first cell region; and a second insulating layer positioned between the first lines and between the second lines in the second cell region. A dielectric constant of the first insulating layer is smaller than that of the second insulating layer.

A memory cell comprising a first layer of magnetic metal; a Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interaction spacer coupled to the first layer of magnetic metal; and a second layer of magnetic layer coupled to the RKKY spacer. The effective thickness of the RKKY spacer is changed by applied terahertz radiation resiling in changing the sign of RKKY interaction from a first sign of RKKY interaction to a second sign of RKKY interaction; thus, enabling an RKKY-tunable magnetic memory cell; wherein the first state of the memory corresponds to the first sign of RKKY interaction, and wherein the second state of the memory corresponds to the second sign of RKKY interaction.

The present invention is directed to a magnetic memory element including a magnetic free layer structure incorporating two magnetic free layers separated by a perpendicular enhancement layer (PEL) and having a variable magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to layer planes thereof; an insulating tunnel junction layer formed adjacent to the magnetic free layer structure; a magnetic reference layer structure formed adjacent to the insulating tunnel junction layer opposite the magnetic free layer structure; an anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer formed adjacent to the magnetic reference layer structure; and a magnetic fixed layer formed adjacent to the anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer. The magnetic reference layer structure includes first, second, and third magnetic reference layers separated by two PELs and having a first invariable magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to layer planes thereof. The magnetic fixed layer has a second invariable magnetization direction substantially opposite to the first invariable magnetization direction.

The disclosure is directed to spin-orbit torque (“SOT”) magnetoresistive random-access memory (“MRAM”) (“SOT-MRAM”) structures and methods. A new structure of the SOT channel has one or more magnetic insertion layers superposed or stacked with one or more heavy metal layer(s). Through proximity to a magnetic insertion layer, a surface portion of a heavy metal layer is magnetized to include a magnetization. The magnetization within the heavy metal layer enhances spin-dependent scattering, which leads to increased transverse spin imbalance.

An apparatus is provided which comprises: a magnetic junction having a magnet with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) relative to an x-y plane of a device. In some embodiments, the apparatus comprises an interconnect partially adjacent to the structure of the magnetic junction, wherein the interconnect comprises a spin orbit material, wherein the interconnect has a pocket comprising non-spin orbit material, wherein the pocket is adjacent to the magnet of the magnetic junction. In some embodiments, the non-spin orbit material comprises metal which includes one or more of: Cu, Al, Ag, or Au.

A base element for switching a magnetization state of a nanomagnet includes a heavy-metal nanostrip having a surface. The heavy-metal nanostrip includes at least a first layer including a heavy metal and a second layer which includes a different heavy-metal. A ferromagnetic nanomagnet is disposed adjacent to the surface. The ferromagnetic nanomagnet includes a shape having a long axis and a short axis, the ferromagnetic nanomagnet having both a perpendicular-to-the-plane anisotropy H.sub.kz and an in-plane anisotropy H.sub.kx and the ferromagnetic nanomagnet having a first magnetization equilibrium state and a second magnetization equilibrium state. The first magnetization equilibrium state or the second magnetization equilibrium state is settable by a flow of electrical charge through the heavy-metal nanostrip. A direction of the flow of electrical charge through the heavy-metal nanostrip includes an angle ξ with respect to the short axis of the nanomagnet.

A memory device includes a first electrode including a spin-orbit material, a magnetic junction on a portion of the first electrode and a first structure including a dielectric on a portion of the first electrode. The first structure has a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposite to the first sidewall. The memory device further includes a second structure on a portion of the first electrode, where the second structure has a sidewall adjacent to the second sidewall of the first structure. The memory device further includes a first conductive interconnect above and coupled with each of the magnetic junction and the second structure and a second conductive interconnect below and coupled with the first electrode, where the second conductive interconnect is laterally distant from the magnetic junction and the second structure.

A method for fabricating semiconductor device includes the steps of: forming a first magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) on a substrate; forming a first liner on the MTJ; forming a second liner on the first liner; forming an inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layer on the MTJ, and forming a metal interconnection in the IMD layer, the second liner, and the first liner to electrically connect the MTJ. Preferably, the first liner and the second liner are made of different materials.

A spin-orbit torque type magnetoresistance effect element including a magnetoresistance effect element having a first ferromagnetic metal layer with a fixed magnetization direction, a second ferromagnetic metal layer with a varying magnetization direction, and a non-magnetic layer sandwiched between the first ferromagnetic metal layer and the second ferromagnetic metal layer; and spin-orbit torque wiring that extends in a first direction intersecting with a stacking direction of the magnetoresistance effect element and that is joined to the second ferromagnetic metal layer; wherein the magnetization of the second ferromagnetic metal layer is oriented in the stacking direction of the magnetoresistance effect element; and the second ferromagnetic metal layer has shape anisotropy, such that a length along the first direction is greater than a length along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and to the stacking direction.