Certain embodiments are directed to a spin torque oscillator (STO) device in a microwave assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) device. The magnetic recording head includes a seed layer, a spin polarization layer over the seed layer, a spacer layer over the spin polarization layer, and a field generation layer is over the spacer layer. In one embodiment, the seed layer comprises a tantalum alloy layer. In another embodiment, the seed layer comprises a template layer and a damping reduction layer over the template layer. In yet another embodiment, the seed layer comprises a texture reset layer, a template layer on the texture reset layer, and a damping reduction layer on the template layer.

An illustrative memory cell disclosed herein includes a bottom electrode, a top electrode positioned above the bottom electrode and an MTJ (Magnetic Tunnel Junction) structure positioned above the bottom electrode and below the top electrode. In this example, the MTJ structure includes a first ferromagnetic material layer positioned above the bottom electrode, a non-magnetic insulation layer positioned above the first ferromagnetic material layer and a second ferromagnetic material layer positioned on the non-magnetic insulation layer, wherein there is a curved, non-planar interface between the non-magnetic insulation layer and the ferromagnetic material layer.

A magnetic property measuring system includes a stage configured to hold a sample and a magnetic structure disposed over the stage. The stage includes a body part, a magnetic part adjacent the body part, and a plurality of holes defined in the body part. The magnetic part of the stage and the magnetic structure are configured to apply a magnetic field, which is perpendicular to one surface of the sample, to the sample. The stage is configured to move horizontally in an x-direction and a y-direction which are parallel to the one surface of the sample.

An in-plane magnetized film for use as a hard bias layer of a magnetoresistive effect element contains metal Co, metal Pt, and an oxide and has a thickness of 20 nm or more and 80 nm or less, wherein: the in-plane magnetized film contains the metal Co in an amount of 45 at% or more and 80 at% or less and the metal Pt in an amount of 20 at% or more and 55 at% or less relative to a total of metal components of the in-plane magnetized film; the in-plane magnetized film contains the oxide in an amount of 3 vol% or more and 25 vol% or less relative to a whole amount of the in-plane magnetized film; and the in-plane direction average grain diameter of magnetic crystal grains of the in-plane magnetized film is 15 nm or more and 30 nm or less.

A material layer stack for a magnetic tunneling junction, the material layer stack including a fixed magnetic layer; a dielectric layer; a free magnetic layer; and an amorphous electrically-conductive seed layer, wherein the fixed magnetic layer is disposed between the dielectric layer and the seed layer. A non-volatile memory device including a material stack including an amorphous electrically-conductive seed layer; and a fixed magnetic layer juxtaposed and in contact with the seed layer. A method including forming an amorphous seed layer on a first electrode of a memory device; forming a material layer stack on the amorphous seed layer, the material stack including a dielectric layer disposed between a fixed magnetic layer and a free magnetic layer, wherein the fixed magnetic layer.

A magnetoresistive element according to an embodiment includes: a first layer containing nitrogen; a reference layer opposed to the first layer, the reference layer having a magnetization perpendicular to a face thereof opposed to the first layer, the magnetization of the reference layer being fixed; a storage layer disposed between the first layer and the reference layer, the storage layer having a magnetization perpendicular to a face thereof opposed to the first layer, the magnetization of the storage layer being changeable, and the storage layer including a second layer containing boron, and a third layer disposed between the second layer and the reference layer and containing boron, a boron concentration of the third layer being lower than a boron concentration of the second layer; and an intermediate layer disposed between the third layer and the reference.

The present disclosure provides improved VCMA MRAM devices that include an engineered magnetic structure. The disclosure also presents the engineered magnetic structure, which includes a magnetic reference layer, a tunnel barrier layer provided on the magnetic reference layer, an interface layer provided on the tunnel barrier layer, a magnetic free layer provided on the interface layer, and a cap layer provided on the magnetic free layer. The interface layer and the cap layer are engineered to enhance an orbital occupancy and/or a spin-orbit-coupling of the magnetic free layer.

Memory stacks, memory devices and method of forming the same are provided. A memory stack includes a spin-orbit torque layer, a magnetic bias layer and a free layer. The magnetic bias layer is in physical contact with the spin-orbit torque layer and has a first magnetic anisotropy. The free layer is disposed adjacent to the spin-orbit torque layer and has a second magnetic anisotropy perpendicular to the first magnetic anisotropy.

A magnetic memory device includes a reference magnetic structure, a free magnetic structure, and a tunnel barrier pattern therebetween. The reference magnetic structure includes a first pinned pattern, a second pinned pattern between the first pinned pattern and the tunnel barrier pattern, and an exchange coupling pattern between the first pinned pattern and the second pinned pattern. The second pinned pattern includes magnetic patterns and non-magnetic patterns, which are alternately stacked. The first pinned pattern is a ferromagnetic pattern consisted of a ferromagnetic element.

Embodiments of the inventive concepts provide a flat perpendicular magnetic layer having a low saturation magnetization and a perpendicular magnetization-type tunnel magnetoresistive element using the same. The perpendicular magnetic layer is a nitrogen-poor (Mn.sub.1−xGa.sub.x)N.sub.y layer (0<x≦0.5 and 0<y<0.1) formed by providing nitrogen (N) into a MnGa alloy while adjusting a nitrogen amount. The perpendicular magnetic layer can be formed flat.