A magnetoresistance effect element includes a magnetic recording layer which includes a ferromagnetic material, a non-magnetic layer laminated on the magnetic recording layer, and a magnetization reference layer laminated on the non-magnetic layer. The magnetic recording layer includes a first ferromagnetic layer, a spacer layer, and a second ferromagnetic layer in order from the non-magnetic layer. The first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer are antiferromagnetically coupled to each other. The magnetic recording layer has a central region in which a product of film thickness and saturation magnetization of the first ferromagnetic layer is greater than a product of a film thickness and saturation magnetization of the second ferromagnetic layer, and an outer region in which the product of the film thickness and the saturation magnetization of the first ferromagnetic layer is smaller than the product of the film thickness and the saturation magnetization of the second ferromagnetic layer.

A device including a templating structure and a magnetic layer on the templating structure is described. The templating structure includes D and E. A ratio of D to E is represented by D.sub.1-xE.sub.x, with x being at least 0.4 and not more than 0.6. E includes a main constituent. The main constituent includes at least one of Al, Ga, and Ge. Further, E includes at least fifty atomic percent of the main constituent. D includes at least one constituent that includes Ir, D includes at least 50 atomic percent of the at least one constituent. The templating structure is nonmagnetic at room temperature. The magnetic layer includes at least one of a Heusler compound and an L1.sub.0 compound, the magnetic layer being in contact with the templating structure.

A device including a first magnetic layer, a templating structure and a second magnetic layer is described. The templating structure is on the first magnetic layer. The second magnetic layer is on the templating structure. The templating structure includes D and E. A ratio of D to E is represented by D.sub.1-xE.sub.x, with x being at least 0.4 and not more than 0.6. E includes a main constituent. The main constituent includes at least one of Al, Ga, and Ge. E includes at least fifty atomic percent of the main constituent. D includes at least one constituent that includes Ir. D includes at least 50 atomic percent of the at least one constituent. The templating structure is nonmagnetic at room temperature. At least one of the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer includes at least one of a Heusler compound and an L1.sub.0 compound.

A device including a templating structure and a magnetic layer is described. The templating structure includes D and E. A ratio of D to E is represented by D.sub.1-xE.sub.x, with x being at least 0.4 and not more than 0.6. E includes a main constituent. The main constituent includes at least one of Al, Ga, and Ge. E includes at least fifty atomic percent of the main constituent. D includes at least one constituent that includes Ir. D includes at least 50 atomic percent of the at least one constituent. The magnetic layer is on the templating structure and includes at least one of a Heusler compound and an L1.sub.0 compound. The magnetic layer is in contact with the templating structure and being magnetic at room temperature.

A magnetic memory device includes a pinned layer, a free layer, a tunnel barrier layer between the pinned layer and the free layer, a first oxide layer spaced apart from the tunnel barrier layer with the free layer therebetween, and a second oxide layer spaced apart from the free layer with the first oxide layer therebetween. The first oxide layer includes an oxide of a first material and may have a thickness of 0.3 Å to 2.0 Å. The second oxide layer may include an oxide of a second material and may have a thickness of 0.1 Å to 5.0 Å. A first oxygen affinity of the first material may be greater than a second oxygen affinity of the second material.

An electronic device may include a semiconductor memory, and the semiconductor memory may include a substrate; a variable resistance element formed over the substrate and exhibiting different resistance values representing different digital information, the variable resistance element including a free layer having a variable magnetization direction, a pinned layer having a fixed magnetization direction and a tunnel barrier layer interposed between the free layer and the pinned layer; and a blocking layer disposed on at least sidewalls of the variable resistance element, wherein the blocking layer may include a layer that is substantially free of nitrogen, oxygen or a combination thereof.

Provided is a magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM) cell. The MRAM cell comprises a first heavy metal layer and a first magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJ) coupled to the first heavy metal layer. The first MTJ has a first area. The MRAM cell further comprises a second MTJ. The second MTJ is connected in series with the first MTJ, and the second MTJ has a second area that is different than the first area. The second MTJ shared a reference layer with the first MTJ. The MRAM cell further comprises a second heavy metal layer that is coupled to the second MTJ.

A magnetoresistive element comprises a novel iPMA cap layer on a surface of a ferromagnetic recording layer. The iPMA cap layer introduces giant interfacial magnetic anisotropy energies (G-iMAE) on the interface between the recording layer and the iPMA cap layer, yielding a giant interfacial perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (G-iPMA) of the recording layer.

A magnetic-field-applying bias film having strong-magnetic-field resistance includes an exchange coupling film. The exchange coupling film includes a ferromagnetic layer and an antiferromagnetic layer stacked on the ferromagnetic layer. The antiferromagnetic layer includes an X(Cr—Mn) layer containing Mn, Cr, and one or more elements X selected from the group consisting of platinum-group elements and Ni. The X(Cr—Mn) layer has a first region relatively close to the ferromagnetic layer and a second region relatively far from the ferromagnetic layer. The Mn content in the first region is higher than the Mn content in the second region.

The invention comprises a novel composite multi-stack seed layer (CMSL) having lattice constant matched crystalline structure with the Co layer in above perpendicular magnetic pinning layer (pMPL) so that an excellent epitaxial growth of magnetic super lattice pinning layer [Co/(Pt, Pd or Ni)].sub.n along its FCC (111) orientation can be achieved, resulting in a significant enhancement of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) for perpendicular spin-transfer-torque magnetic-random-access memory (pSTT-MRAM) using perpendicular magnetoresistive elements as basic memory cells which potentially replace the conventional semiconductor memory used in electronic chips, especially mobile chips for power saving and non-volatility.