This technology provides an electronic device. An electronic device in accordance with an implementation of this document may include a semiconductor memory for storing data, and the semiconductor memory may include a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure comprising a free layer having a variable magnetization direction, a pinned layer having a pinned magnetization direction, and a tunnel barrier layer interposed between the free layer and the pinned layer; and an under layer located under the MTJ structure, wherein the under layer may include: a first under layer including a silicon-based alloy; a second under layer including a metal; and a blocking layer interposed between the first under layer and the second under layer and including an amorphous material.

Technology for limiting a voltage difference between two selected conductive lines in a cross-point array when using a forced current approach is disclosed. In one aspect, the selected word line voltage is clamped to a voltage limit while driving an access current through a region of the selected word line and through a region of the selected bit line. The access current flows through the memory cell to allow a sufficient voltage to successfully read or write the memory cell, while not placing undue stress on the memory cell. In some aspects, the maximum voltage that is permitted on the selected word line depends on the location of the selected memory cell in the cross-point memory array. This allows memory cells for which there is a larger IR drop to receive an adequate voltage, while not over-stressing memory cells for which there is a smaller IR drop.

A spin-orbit-torque (SOT) magnetic device includes a bottom metal layer, a first magnetic layer disposed over the bottom metal layer, a spacer layer disposed over the first magnetic layer, and a second magnetic layer disposed over the spacer layer. A diffusion barrier layer for suppressing metal elements of the first magnetic layer from diffusing into the bottom metal layer is disposed between the bottom metal layer and the first magnetic layer.

A switching element includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, and a switching material layer provided between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer and formed of an insulating material containing an additional element. The switching material layer includes a first interface region including a first interface between the first conductive layer and the switching material layer and a second interface region including a second interface between the second conductive layer and the switching material layer. A concentration of the additional element in the switching material layer has a first peak in the first interface region.

A magnetic memory device includes first, second, and third conductor layers, and a memory cell that is coupled to the first, second, and third conductor layers. The memory cell includes a fourth conductor layer and a magnetoresistance effect element. The fourth conductor layer includes first, second, and third portions coupled to the first, second, and third conductor layers, respectively. The third portion is between the first and second portions. The magnetoresistance effect element is coupled between a third conductor and the fourth conductor layer. The fourth conductor layer includes a magnetic layer and a non-magnetic layer that is between the magnetic layer and the magnetoresistance effect element. The magnetic layer has a first saturation magnetization during a standby state or a read state of the memory cell, and has a second saturation magnetization larger than the first saturation magnetization during a write state of the memory cell.

A semiconductor device may include: a memory cell disposed over a substrate and including a variable resistance layer and a selector layer; a protection layer disposed on side surfaces of the memory cell and an upper surface of the substrate on which the memory cell is not disposed; and a first encapsulation layer disposed on the memory cell and the protection layer, wherein the protection layer may include a treated surface that is modified by a material including helium.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a memory device that includes a spin orbit torque (SOT) layer arranged over a substrate. A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure may be arranged over the SOT layer. The MTJ structure includes a free layer, a reference layer, and a diffusion barrier layer disposed between the free layer and the reference layer. A first conductive wire is arranged below the SOT layer and coupled to the SOT layer. A second conductive wire is arranged below the SOT layer and coupled to the SOT layer. A third conductive wire is arranged over the MTJ structure. The memory device further includes a first selector structure arranged between the first conductive wire and the SOT layer.

A memory device including an array of memory cells overlying a substrate and located in a memory array region. Each of the memory cells includes a vertical stack containing a bottom electrode, a memory element, a top electrode, and dielectric sidewall spacers located on sidewalls of each vertical stack. The bottom electrode comprises a flat-top portion that extends horizontally beyond an outer periphery of the dielectric sidewall spacers. The device also includes a discrete etch stop dielectric layer over each of the memory cells that includes a horizontally-extending portion that extends over the flat-top portion of the bottom electrode. The device also includes metallic cell contact structures that contact a respective subset of the top electrodes and a respective subset of vertically-protruding portions of the discrete etch stop dielectric layer.

A variable resistance memory device includes a plurality of first conductive layer pattern, a plurality of second conductive layer patterns over the first conductive layer patterns, and a plurality of lower cell structures including a switching element and a variable resistance element, the lower cell structures being formed at intersections at which the first conductive layer patterns and the second conductive layer patterns overlap each other. The first conductive layer patterns, the second conductive layer patterns and the lower cell structures serves as one of a memory cell, a first dummy pattern structure and a second dummy pattern structure. The first dummy pattern structure is formed on both edge portions in the first direction, and the second conductive layer pattern of the first dummy pattern structure protrudes in the first direction from a sidewall of the lower cell structure thereunder, and the second dummy pattern structure is formed on both edge portions in the second direction, and the first conductive layer pattern of the second dummy pattern structure protrudes in the second direction from a sidewall of the lower cell structure thereon. Failures of the variable resistance memory device due to the etch residue may decrease.

The present invention is directed to a memory device including a memory cell coupled to two wiring lines at two ends thereof. The memory cell includes a memory element, which includes a magnetic free layer and a magnetic reference layer with a tunnel junction layer interposed therebetween, and a bi-directional two-terminal selector element having multiple threshold voltages coupled to the memory element in series. The magnetic free layer has a variable magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to a layer plane thereof and the magnetic reference layer has a fixed magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to a layer plane thereof. In an embodiment, the bi-directional two-terminal selector element includes two selector devices with each selector device including two electrodes with a switching layer interposed therebetween. In another embodiment, the bi-directional two-terminal selector element includes a selector device incorporating therein two switching layers.