A magnetic device for magnetic random access memory (MRAM), spin torque MRAM, or spin torque oscillator technology is disclosed wherein a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) with a sidewall is formed between a bottom electrode and a top electrode. A passivation layer that is a single layer or multilayer comprising one of B, C, or Ge, or an alloy thereof wherein the B, C, and Ge content, respectively, is at least 10 atomic % is formed on the MTJ sidewall to protect the MTJ from reactive species during subsequent processing including deposition of a dielectric layer that electrically isolates the MTJ from adjacent MTJs, and during annealing steps around 400? C. in CMOS fabrication. The single layer is about 3 to 10 Angstroms thick and may be an oxide or nitride of B, C, or Ge. The passivation layer is preferably amorphous to prevent diffusion of reactive oxygen or nitrogen species.

An oscillator comprising, a cavity wherein the cavity comprises an electrical conductor. The oscillator comprising an electrical insulator disposed on a surface of the cavity; and a heterostructure disposed on a surface of the electrical insulator and having a first end and a second end, the heterostructure comprising one or more spin current source layers and one or more magnetic material layers. In response to an electrical current passed through the spin current source, an oscillation occurs in a plurality of magnetic domains of the magnetic material, wherein the oscillations have substantially the same phase.

An antenna device includes: antennas; magnetic oscillation element units converting electrical energy to high-frequency power; and a modulator outputting electrical energy input from outside to at least two magnetic oscillation element units, with a time difference to differentiate phases of high-frequency power converted from electrical energy by at least two magnetic oscillation element units. The magnetic oscillation element units respectively include a pair of electrodes, and further include, between the pair of electrodes, a PIN layer, a free layer, and an intermediate layer. A resistance value of an element configured by the PIN, free and intermediate layers changes according to the angle between the magnetization direction of the PIN layer and the magnetization direction of the free layer. The antennas transmit electromagnetic waves to open space outside the magnetic oscillation element units with the supply of high-frequency power.

This spin current magnetization rotational type magnetoresistive element includes a magnetoresistive effect element having a first ferromagnetic metal layer having a fixed magnetization orientation, a second ferromagnetic metal layer having a variable magnetization orientation, and a non-magnetic layer sandwiched between the first ferromagnetic metal layer and the second ferromagnetic metal layer, and spin-orbit torque wiring which extends in a direction that intersects the stacking direction of the magnetoresistive effect element, and is connected to the second ferromagnetic metal layer, wherein the electric current that flows through the magnetoresistive effect element and the electric current that flows through the spin-orbit torque wiring merge or are distributed in the portion where the magnetoresistive effect element and the spin-orbit torque wiring are connected.

A spin-torque oscillator includes: a driving reference layer having a fixed magnetization; a nonmagnetic spacer layer; and a free layer having a changeable magnetization exhibiting an easy-cone magnetic anisotropy, the nonmagnetic spacer layer being between the driving reference layer and the free layer, a magnetic anisotropy energy of the free layer having a local maximum along an axis, a local minimum at an angle from the axis, and a global maximum different from the local maximum, the angle being greater than zero degrees, wherein the spin-torque oscillator is configured such that the changeable magnetization of the free layer precesses around the axis.

A variable-frequency magnetoresistive effect element includes a magnetoresistive effect element, a magnetic-field applying mechanism that applies a magnetic field to the magnetoresistive effect element, an electric-field applying mechanism that applies an electric field to the magnetoresistive effect element, and a control terminal connected to the electric-field applying mechanism and used for applying a voltage that varies in at least one of magnitude and polarity to the electric-field applying mechanism. The magnetoresistive effect element contains an antiferromagnetic material or ferrimagnetic material having a magnetoelectric effect. A spin torque oscillation frequency or spin torque resonance frequency of the magnetoresistive effect element is controlled by varying the voltage applied via the control terminal in at least one of magnitude and polarity.

A spin valve element may include a plurality of magnetic element groups. Each magnetic element group may be formed, at least in part, by a plurality of magnetic elements being connected in parallel. Each magnetic element may include an intermediate layer and a pair of ferromagnetic layers sandwiching the intermediate layer. The plurality of magnetic element groups may be connected together in series or in parallel. The plurality of magnetic elements may be configured to undergo a microwave oscillation and are placed in proximity sufficient that oscillation signals are configured to be generated with the magnetic elements mutually synchronized. The proximity may include a range equal to a wavelength of the microwave oscillation.

The disclosed technology provides various implementations of a device based on a spin Hall effect (SHE) and spin transfer torque (STT) effect. In one aspect, a device is provided to include a magnetic structure including a ferromagnetic layer having a magnetization direction that can be changed by spin transfer torque; a SHE layer that is electrically conducting and exhibits a spin Hall effect to, in response to an applied charge current, generate a spin-polarized current that is perpendicular to the applied charge current, the SHE layer located adjacent to the ferromagnetic layer to inject the spin-polarized current into the ferromagnetic layer; a first electrical contact in contact with the magnetic structure; a second electrical contact in contact with a first location of the SHE layer; a third electrical contact in contact with a second location of the SHE layer so that the first and second locations are on two opposite sides of the magnetic structure; a magnetic structure circuit coupled between the first electrical contact and one of the second and third electrical contacts to supply a current or a voltage to the magnetic structure; and a charge current circuit coupled between the second and third electrical contacts to supply the charge current into the SHE layer, wherein the device is operable at a low write error rate with pulses of a pulse duration of around 2 ns or shorter to switch a direction of the magnetization direction of the ferromagnetic layer in the magnetic structure.

The present invention relates to a spin torque oscillator with high power output and its applications. A spin torque oscillator may include a first magnetic reference layer having a fixed magnetization, a magnetic precession layer having a magnetization capable of precessing about an initial direction, and a first barrier layer interposed between the first magnetic reference layer and the magnetic precession layer. The first barrier layer is formed of an insulating material capable of inducing a negative differential resistance for the spin torque oscillator.

A magnetic device for magnetic random access memory (MRAM), spin torque MRAM, or spin torque oscillator technology is disclosed wherein a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) with a sidewall is formed between a bottom electrode and a top electrode. A passivation layer that is a single layer or multilayer comprising one of B, C, or Ge, or an alloy thereof wherein the B, C, and Ge content, respectively, is at least 10 atomic % is formed on the MTJ sidewall to protect the MTJ from reactive species during subsequent processing including deposition of a dielectric layer that electrically isolates the MTJ from adjacent MTJs, and during annealing steps around 400 C. in CMOS fabrication. The single layer is about 3 to 10 Angstroms thick and may be an oxide or nitride of B, C, or Ge. The passivation layer is preferably amorphous to prevent diffusion of reactive oxygen or nitrogen species.