The inventive concepts provide a method for forming a hard mask pattern. The method includes forming a hard mask layer on an etch target layer disposed on a substrate, forming a photoresist pattern having an opening exposing one region of the hard mask layer, performing an oxygen ion implantation process on the one region using the photoresist pattern as a mask to form an oxidized portion in the one region, and patterning the hard mask layer using the oxidized portion as an etch mask.

A semiconductor device includes a first transistor formed on a first side of a substrate. The semiconductor device includes a first power rail structure vertically disposed over the first transistor, a second power rail structure vertically disposed over the first power rail structure, and a memory portion vertically disposed over the second power rail structure. The first power rail structure, and a second power rail structure, and the memory portion are all disposed on a second side of the substrate opposite to the first side.

A method includes forming a transistor having source and drain regions. The following are formed on the source/drain region: a first via, a first metal layer extending along a first direction on the first via, a second via overlapping the first via on the first metal layer, and a second metal extending along a second direction different from the first direction on the second via; and the following are formed on the drain/source region: a third via, a third metal layer on the third via, a fourth via overlapping the third via over the third metal layer, and a controlled device at a same height level as the second metal layer on the third metal layer.

Row and/or column electrode lines for a memory device are staggered such that gaps are formed between terminated lines. Vertical interconnection to central points along adjacent lines that are not terminated are made in the gap, and vertical interconnection through can additionally be made through the gap without contacting the lines of that level.

A memory cell comprises a nanowire structure comprising a channel region and source/drain regions of a transistor. The nanowire structure also comprises as first conductor of a capacitive device as a vertical extension of the nanowire structure.

A magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) includes a first transistor and a second transistor on a substrate, a source line coupled to a first source/drain region of the first transistor, and a first metal interconnection coupled to a second source/drain region of the first transistor. Preferably, the first metal interconnection is extended to overlap the first transistor and the second transistor and the first metal interconnection further includes a first end coupled to the second source/drain region of the first transistor and a second end coupled to a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ).

A memory device includes a spin-orbit-transfer (SOT) bottom electrode, an SOT ferromagnetic free layer, a first tunnel barrier layer, a spin-transfer-torque (STT) ferromagnetic free layer, a second tunnel barrier layer and a reference layer. The SOT ferromagnetic free layer is over the SOT bottom electrode. The SOT ferromagnetic free layer has a magnetic orientation switchable by the SOT bottom electrode using a spin Hall effect or Rashba effect. The first tunnel barrier layer is over the SOT ferromagnetic free layer. The STT ferromagnetic free layer is over the first tunnel barrier layer and has a magnetic orientation switchable using an STT effect. The second tunnel barrier layer is over the STT ferromagnetic free layer. The second tunnel barrier layer has a thickness different from a thickness of the first tunnel barrier layer. The reference layer is over the second tunnel barrier layer and has a fixed magnetic orientation.

An IC structure comprises an MTJ cell, a transistor, a first word line, and a second word line. The transistor is electrically coupled to the MTJ cell. The transistor comprises a first gate terminal and a second gate terminal independent of the first gate terminal. The first word line is electrically coupled to the first gate terminal of the transistor. The second word line is electrically coupled to the second gate terminal of the transistor. A resistance state of the MTJ cell is dependent on a first word line voltage applied to the first word line and a second word line voltage applied to the second word line, and the resistance state of the MTJ cell follows an AND gate logic or an OR gate logic.

A magnetic memory device includes a magnetoresistance effect element including a first, second, and third ferromagnetic layer, a first non-magnetic layer between the first and second ferromagnetic layer, and a second non-magnetic layer between the second and third ferromagnetic layer. The second ferromagnetic layer is between the first and third ferromagnetic layer. The third ferromagnetic layer includes a fourth ferromagnetic layer in contact with the second non-magnetic layer, a third non-magnetic layer, and a fourth non-magnetic layer between the fourth ferromagnetic layer and the third non-magnetic layer. The first non-magnetic layer includes an oxide including magnesium (Mg). A melting point of the fourth non-magnetic layer is higher than the third non-magnetic layer.

In one embodiment, the magnetic memory device includes a free layer structure having a variable magnetization direction. The free layer structure includes a first free layer, the first free layer being a first Heusler alloy; a coupling layer on the first free layer, the coupling layer including a metal oxide layer; and a second free layer on the metal oxide layer, the second free layer being a second Heusler alloy, the second Heusler alloy being different from the first Heusler alloy.