Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a memory device including a shunting layer overlying a spin orbit torque (SOT) layer. A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure overlies a semiconductor substrate. The MTJ structure includes a free layer, a reference layer, and a tunnel barrier layer disposed between the free and reference layers. A bottom electrode via (BEVA) underlies the MTJ structure, where the BEVA is laterally offset from the MTJ structure by a lateral distance. The SOT layer is disposed vertically between the BEVA and the MTJ structure, where the SOT layer continuously extends along the lateral distance. The shunting layer extends across an upper surface of the SOT layer and extends across at least a portion of the lateral distance.

A film stack for a magnetic tunnel comprises a substrate, a magnetic reference layer disposed over the substrate, and a tunnel barrier layer disposed over the magnetic reference layer. The film stack further comprises a magnetic storage layer disposed over the tunnel barrier layer, and a capping layer disposed over the magnetic storage layer. Further, the film stack comprises at least one protection layer disposed between the magnetic reference layer and the tunnel barrier layer and disposed between the magnetic storage layer and the capping layer. Additionally, a material forming the at least one protection layer differs from at least one of a material forming the magnetic reference layer and a material forming the magnetic storage layer.

A layered structure which achieves both high spin polarization and low electrical resistance is provided. The layered structure includes a Heusler alloy, and graphene that is in direct contact with the surface of the Heusler alloy. Such a layered structure is fabricated by forming a thin film of the Heusler alloy over a substrate under vacuum, and growing graphene on the surface of the thin film of the Heusler alloy while maintaining the vacuum.

Provided is a magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM) cell. The MRAM cell comprises a top contact, a hard mask layer below the top contact, and a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) below the hard mask layer. The MRAM cell further comprises a diffusion barrier below the MTJ, a bottom contact below the diffusion barrier, and a magnetic liner arranged around the bottom contact.

Embodiments of the invention include a method for fabricating a magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM) structure and the resulting structure. A first type of metal is formed on an interlayer dielectric layer with a plurality of embedded contacts, where the first type of metal exhibits spin Hall effect (SHE) properties. At least one spin-orbit torque (SOT) MRAM cell is formed on the first type of metal. One or more recesses surrounding the at least one SOT-MRAM cell are created by recessing exposed portions of the first type of metal. A second type of metal is formed in the one or more recesses, where the second type of metal has lower resistivity than the first type of metal.

A core magnetization reversal method includes transforming the first magnetic skyrmion into a skyrmionium by applying a first alternating current (AC) magnetic field to the first magnetic skyrmion, and then transforming the skyrmionium into a second magnetic skyrmion by applying a second AC magnetic field to the skyrmionium. The first magnetic skyrmion may be formed on a hemispherical shell, which may be formed by (i) preparing a membrane having a plurality of protrusions, and (ii) stacking, on the membrane, a first layer including at least one of platinum (Pt), nickel (Ni), and palladium (Pd), and a second layer including a ferromagnetic material. The first and second AC magnetic fields may have different frequencies.

Structures and formation methods of a semiconductor structure are provided. The semiconductor structure includes an insulating layer covering a device region and an alignment mark region of a semiconductor substrate. A conductive feature is formed in the insulating layer and corresponds to the device region. An alignment mark structure is formed in the first insulating layer and corresponds to the alignment mark region. The alignment mark structure includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer covering the first conductive layer, and a first magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack layer covering the second conductive layer. The first conductive layer and the conductive feature are made of the same material.

A method for fabricating a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) device includes the steps of first forming a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) stack on a substrate, forming a first top electrode on the MTJ stack, and then forming a second top electrode on the first top electrode. Preferably, the first top electrode includes a gradient concentration while the second top electrode includes a non-gradient concentration.

The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure, including an N.sup.th metal layer over a transistor region, where N is a natural number, and a bottom electrode over the N.sup.th metal layer. The bottom electrode comprises a bottom portion having a first width, disposed in a bottom electrode via (BEVA), the first width being measured at a top surface of the BEVA, and an upper portion having a second width, disposed over the bottom portion. The semiconductor structure also includes a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) layer having a third width, disposed over the upper portion, a top electrode over the MTJ layer and an (N+1).sup.th metal layer over the top electrode. The first width is greater than the third width.

A memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, a first dielectric layer, a metal contact, an aluminum nitride layer, an aluminum oxide layer, a second dielectric layer, a metal via, and a memory stack. The first dielectric layer is over the semiconductor substrate. The metal contact passes through the first dielectric layer. The aluminum nitride layer extends along a top surface of the first dielectric layer and a top surface of the metal contact. The aluminum oxide layer extends along a top surface of the aluminum nitride layer. The second dielectric layer is over the aluminum oxide layer. The metal via passes through the second dielectric layer, the aluminum oxide layer, and the aluminum nitride layer and lands on the metal contact. The memory stack lands on the metal via.