A storage element includes a storage layer, a fixed magnetization layer, a spin barrier layer, and a spin absorption layer. The storage layer stores information based on a magnetization state of a magnetic material. The fixed magnetization layer is provided for the storage layer through a tunnel insulating layer. The spin barrier layer suppresses diffusion of spin-polarized electrons and is provided on the side of the storage layer opposite the fixed magnetization layer. The spin absorption layer is formed of a nonmagnetic metal layer causing spin pumping and provided on the side of the spin barrier layer opposite the storage layer. A direction of magnetization in the storage layer is changed by passing current in a layering direction to inject spin-polarized electrons so that information is recorded in the storage layer and the spin barrier layer includes at least a material selected from oxides, nitrides, and fluorides.

The disclosed technology generally relates to a magnetoresistive device and more particularly to a magnetoresistive device comprising chromium. According to an aspect, a method of forming a magnetoresistive device comprises forming a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure over a substrate. The MTJ structure includes, in a bottom-up direction away from the substrate, a free layer, a tunnel barrier layer and a reference layer. The method additionally includes forming a pinning layer over the MTJ structure, wherein the pinning layer pins a magnetization direction of the reference layer. The method additionally includes forming capping layer comprising chromium (Cr) over the pinning layer. The method further includes annealing the capping layer under a condition sufficient to cause diffusion of Cr from the capping layer into at least the pinning layer. According to another aspect, a magnetoresistive device is formed according to the method.

The disclosed technology generally relates to magnetic devices, and more particularly to spin torque devices. In one aspect, a spin torque majority gate device includes a free ferromagnetic layer, a spin mixing layer formed above the free ferromagnetic layer, a non-magnetic tunnelling layer formed above the spin mixing layer, and a plurality of input elements formed above the non-magnetic tunnelling layer, where each input element has a fixed ferromagnetic layer.

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.

A storage element includes a storage layer, a fixed magnetization layer, a spin barrier layer, and a spin absorption layer. The storage layer stores information based on a magnetization state of a magnetic material. The fixed magnetization layer is provided for the storage layer through a tunnel insulating layer. The spin barrier layer suppresses diffusion of spin-polarized electrons and is provided on the side of the storage layer opposite the fixed magnetization layer. The spin absorption layer is formed of a nonmagnetic metal layer causing spin pumping and provided on the side of the spin barrier layer opposite the storage layer. A direction of magnetization in the storage layer is changed by passing current in a layering direction to inject spin-polarized electrons so that information is recorded in the storage layer and the spin barrier layer includes at least a material selected from oxides, nitrides, and fluorides.

The present invention relates to using spin transfer torque underneath a nanocontact on a magnetic thin film with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA), provides generation of dissipative magnetic droplet solitons and magnetic droplet-skyrmions and report on their rich dynamical properties. Micromagnetic simulations identify the conditions necessary to nucleate and drive droplet-skyrmions over a wide range of currents and fields. Micromagnetic simulations also demonstrate how droplets and droplet-skyrmions can be used as skyrmion injectors and detectors in skyrmion-based magnetic memories. The droplet-skyrmion can be controlled using both current and magnetic fields, and is expected to have applications in spintronics, magnonics, skyrmionics, and PMA-based domain-wall devices.

Magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJ) suitable for spin transfer torque memory (STTM) devices, include perpendicular magnetic layers and one or more anisotropy enhancing layer(s) separated from a free magnetic layer by a crystallization barrier layer. In embodiments, an anisotropy enhancing layer improves perpendicular orientation of the free magnetic layer while the crystallization barrier improves tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio with better alignment of crystalline texture of the free magnetic layer with that of a tunneling layer.