A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) is disclosed wherein a free layer (FL) interfaces with a first metal oxide (Mox) layer and second metal oxide (tunnel barrier) to produce perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) in the FL. In some embodiments, conductive metal channels made of a noble metal are formed in the Mox that is MgO to reduce parasitic resistance. In a second embodiment, a discontinuous MgO layer with a plurality of islands is formed as the Mox layer and a non-magnetic hard mask layer is deposited to fill spaces between adjacent islands and form shorting pathways through the Mox. In another embodiment, end portions between the sides of a center Mox portion and the MTJ sidewall are reduced to form shorting pathways by depositing a reducing metal layer on Mox sidewalls, or performing a reduction process with forming gas, H.sub.2, or a reducing species.

This magnetoresistance effect element includes a first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer, and a tunnel barrier layer which is interposed between the first and second ferromagnetic layers, wherein the tunnel barrier layer has a spinel structure represented by a compositional formula X.sub.1-αY.sub.αO.sub.β, and the tunnel barrier layer contains one or more additional elements selected from the group consisting of He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, P, C, B, and Si, and in the compositional formula, X represents one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Mg, Zn, Cd, Ag, Pt, and Pb, Y represents one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Al, Ga, and In, a range of α is 0<α≤1, and a range of β is 0.35≤β≤1.7.

This magnetoresistance effect element includes a first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer, and a tunnel barrier layer which is interposed between the first and second ferromagnetic layers, wherein the tunnel barrier layer has a spinel structure represented by a compositional formula X.sub.1-αY.sub.αO.sub.β, and the tunnel barrier layer contains one or more additional elements selected from the group consisting of He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, P, C, B, and Si, and in the compositional formula, X represents one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Mg, Zn, Cd, Ag, Pt, and Pb, Y represents one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Al, Ga, and In, a range of α is 0<α≤1, and a range of β is 0.35≤β≤1.7.

An apparatus is provided which comprises: a stack comprising a magnetoelectric (ME such as BiFeO.sub.3, (LaBi)FeO.sub.3, LuFeO.sub.3, PMN-PT, PZT, AlN, SmBiFeO.sub.3, Cr.sub.2O.sub.3, etc.) material and a transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD such as MoS.sub.2, MoSe.sub.2, WS.sub.2, WSe.sub.2, PtS.sub.2, PtSe.sub.2, WTe.sub.2, MoTe.sub.2, graphene, etc.); a magnet adjacent to a first portion of the TMD of the stack; a first interconnect adjacent to the magnet; a second interconnect adjacent to the ME material of the stack; and a third interconnect adjacent to a second portion of the TMD of the stack.

An apparatus is provided which comprises: a stack comprising a magnetoelectric (ME such as BiFeO.sub.3, (LaBi)FeO.sub.3, LuFeO.sub.3, PMN-PT, PZT, AlN, SmBiFeO.sub.3, Cr.sub.2O.sub.3, etc.) material and a transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD such as MoS.sub.2, MoSe.sub.2, WS.sub.2, WSe.sub.2, PtS.sub.2, PtSe.sub.2, WTe.sub.2, MoTe.sub.2, graphene, etc.); a magnet adjacent to a first portion of the TMD of the stack; a first interconnect adjacent to the magnet; a second interconnect adjacent to the ME material of the stack; and a third interconnect adjacent to a second portion of the TMD of the stack.

An exchange-coupled film includes a antiferromagnetic layer and a pinned magnetic layer including a ferromagnetic layer stacked together, the antiferromagnetic layer having a structure including an IrMn layer, a first PtMn layer, a PtCr layer, and a second PtMn layer stacked in that order, the IrMn layer being in contact with the pinned magnetic layer. The second PtMn layer preferably has a thickness of more than 0 Å and less than 60 Å, in some cases. The PtCr layer preferably has a thickness of 100 Å or more, in some cases. The antiferromagnetic layer preferably has a total thickness of 200 Å or less, in some cases.

A magnetoresistance effect element and a Heusler alloy in which a state change due to annealing does not easily occur. The element includes a first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer, and a non-magnetic layer positioned between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer, in which at least one of the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer is a Heusler alloy in which a portion of elements of an alloy represented by Co.sub.2Fe.sub.αZ.sub.β is substituted with a substitution element, in which Z is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, Ga, Ge, and Sn, α and β satisfy 2.3≤α+β, α<β, and 0.5<α<1.9, and the substitution element is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of elements having a melting point higher than that of Fe among elements of Groups 4 to 10.

A spin-orbit torque (SOT) magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device includes a substrate, a buffer layer formed over the substrate, and a bismuth antimony (BiSb) layer formed over the buffer layer, the BiSb layer having a (012) orientation. In certain embodiments, the SOT MTJ device is part of a microwave assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) write head. In certain embodiments, the SOT MTJ device is part of a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) device.

A spin-orbit torque (SOT) magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device includes a substrate, a buffer layer formed over the substrate, and a bismuth antimony (BiSb) layer formed over the buffer layer, the BiSb layer having a (012) orientation. In certain embodiments, the SOT MTJ device is part of a microwave assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) write head. In certain embodiments, the SOT MTJ device is part of a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) device.

A magnetic domain wall moving element according to an embodiment includes: a magnetic recording layer, a ferromagnetic layer, and a non-magnetic layer arranged between the magnetic recording layer and the ferromagnetic layer, wherein the ferromagnetic layer contains an additive element dispersed therein, and the additive element is one or more of H, He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, N, C, Ag, Cu, Hg, Au, Pb, Zn, and Bi.