A semiconductor device may be provided including a first series portion and a second series portion electrically connected in parallel with the first series portion. The first series portion may include a first MTJ stack and a first resistive element electrically connected in series. The second series portion may include a second MTJ stack and a second resistive element electrically connected in series. The first resistive element may include a third MTJ stack and the second resistive element may include a fourth MTJ stack. The first, second, third, and fourth MTJ stacks may include a same number of layers, which may include a fixed layer, a free layer, and a tunnelling barrier layer between the fixed layer and the free layer. Alternatively, the first resistive element may include a first transistor and the second resistive element may include a second transistor.

A memory device includes a bottom electrode, a tunneling junction disposed over the bottom electrode, and a top electrode disposed over the tunneling junction. The top electrode includes a first top electrode layer and a second top electrode layer above the first top electrode layer. The first and second top electrode layers include different material compositions. The first top electrode layer is thinner than the tunneling junction, and the second top electrode layer is thicker than the tunneling junction.

A method is provided. A substrate situated in a chamber is exposed to a halogen-containing gas comprising an element selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium, carbon, titanium, and tin, and igniting a plasma to modify a surface of the substrate and form a modified surface. The substrate is exposed to an activated activation gas to etch at least part of the modified surface

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.

A magnetic domain wall movement element includes a magnetic recording layer which includes a ferromagnetic material; a non-magnetic layer which is laminated on the magnetic recording layer; and a magnetization reference layer which is laminated on the non-magnetic layer, in which the magnetic recording layer has a first ferromagnetic layer, a spacer layer, and a second ferromagnetic layer in order from the non-magnetic layer, a magnetization of the first ferromagnetic layer and a magnetization of the second ferromagnetic layer are antiferromagnetically coupled, and an electrical resistivity of the first ferromagnetic layer is higher than the electrical resistivity of the second ferromagnetic layer.

A topological material includes a lattice crystalline structure; and a material defect in the lattice crystalline structure that is treatable by hydrogen passivation that chemically mitigates an electronic charge associated with the material defect. The lattice crystalline structure includes dangling bonds in an atomic arrangement of the material defect of the lattice crystalline structure, and the hydrogen passivation may apply hydrogen to chemically passivate the dangling bonds of the material defect. The hydrogen passivation may be achieved by diffusing hydrogen into common materials of the lattice crystalline structure. The hydrogen passivation may chemically and/or electrostatically neutralize an electronic activity associated with the material defect.

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.

A magnetic structure capable of field-free spin-orbit torque switching includes a spin-orbit coupling base layer and a ferromagnetic layer formed thereon. The spin-orbit coupling base layer is made from a particular crystal material. The ferromagnetic layer has magnetization perpendicular to a plane coupled to the spin-orbit coupling base layer, and is made from a particular ferromagnetic material with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The perpendicular magnetization of the ferromagnetic layer is switchable by an in plane current applied to the spin-orbit coupling base layer without application of an external magnetic field. A memory device and a production method regarding the magnetic structure are also provided.

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 insertion layer for perpendicular spin orbit torque (SOT) memory devices between the SOT electrode and the free magnetic layer, memory devices and computing platforms employing such insertion layers, and methods for forming them are discussed. The insertion layer is predominantly tungsten and improves thermal stability and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in the free magnetic layer.