A method for manufacturing a magnetic random access memory element having increased retention and low resistance area product (RA). A MgO layer is deposited to contact a magnetic free layer of the memory element. The MgO layer is deposited in a sputter deposition chamber using a DC power and a Mg target to deposit Mg. The deposition of Mg is periodically stopped and oxygen introduced into the deposition chamber. This process is repeated a desired number of times, resulting in a multi-layer structure. The resulting MgO layer provides excellent interfacial perpendicular magnetic anisotropy to the magnetic free layer while also having a low RA.

An apparatus is provided which comprises: a magnetic junction including: a stack of structures including: a first structure comprising a magnet with an unfixed perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) relative to an x-y plane of a device, wherein the first structure has a first dimension along the x-y plane and a second dimension in the z-plane, wherein the second dimension is substantially greater than the first dimension. The magnetic junction includes a second structure comprising one of a dielectric or metal; and a third structure comprising a magnet with fixed PMA, wherein the third structure has an anisotropy axis perpendicular to the plane of the device, and wherein the third structure is adjacent to the second structure such that the second structure is between the first and third structures; and an interconnect adjacent to the third structure, wherein the interconnect comprises a spin orbit material.

A perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction is disclosed wherein first and second interfaces of a free layer (FL) with a first metal oxide (Hk enhancing layer) and second metal oxide (tunnel barrier), respectively, produce perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) to provide thermal stability to 400° C. Insertion of an oxidation control layer (OCL) such as Mg and a magnetic moment tuning layer (MMTL) like Mo or W enables FL thickness to be reduced below 10 Angstroms while providing sufficient PMA for a switching voltage substantially less than 500 mV at a 10 ns pulse width and 1 ppm defect rate. Magnetoresistive ratio is ≥1, and resistance×area (RA) product is below 5 ohm-μm.sup.2. Embodiments are provided where MMTL and OCL materials interface with each other, or do not contact each other. Each of the MMTL and OCL materials may be deposited separately, or at least one is co-deposited with the FL.

An apparatus is provided which comprises: a first stack comprising a magnetic insulating material (MI such as, EuS, EuO, YIG, TmIG, or GaMnAs) 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, or graphene; a second stack comprising an MI material and a TMD, wherein the first and second stacks are separated by an insulating material (e.g., oxide); a magnet (e.g., a ferromagnet or a paramagnet) adjacent to the TMDs of the first and second stacks, and also adjacent to the insulating material; and a magnetoelectric material (e.g., (LaBi)FeO.sub.3, LuFeO.sub.3, PMN-PT, PZT, AlN, or (SmBi)FeO.sub.3) adjacent to the magnet.

A magnetoresistive device comprises a fixed magnetic region positioned on or over a first electrically conductive region, an intermediate layer positioned on or over the fixed magnetic region, a free magnetic region positioned on or over the intermediate layer, and a metal insertion substance positioned in contact with the free magnetic region, wherein the metal insertion substance includes one or more transition metal elements.

The invention comprises a novel composite seed structure (CSS) 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.

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.

The present technology relates to a storage device that realizes both a high information retention property and a low power consumption. A storage device includes a fixed layer, a storage layer, an intermediate layer, and a heat generation layer. The fixed layer includes a first ferromagnetic layer that includes a fixed perpendicular magnetization. The storage layer includes a second ferromagnetic layer that includes a perpendicular magnetization invertible by a spin injection. The intermediate layer is formed of an insulator and is arranged between the storage layer and the fixed layer. The heat generation layer is formed of a resistance heating element and is arranged in at least one of the storage layer and the fixed layer. With this configuration, it becomes possible to provide a storage device that realizes both a high information retention property and a low power consumption.

Embodiments are directed to STT MRAM devices. One embodiment of an STT MRAM device includes a reference layer, a tunnel barrier layer, a free layer and one or more conductive vias. The reference layer is configured to have a fixed magnetic moment. In addition, the tunnel barrier layer is configured to enable electrons to tunnel between the reference layer and the free layer through the tunnel barrier layer. The free layer is disposed beneath the tunnel barrier layer and is configured to have an adaptable magnetic moment for the storage of data. The conductive via is disposed beneath the free layer and is connected to an electrode. Further, the conductive via has a width that is smaller than a width of the free layer such that a width of an active STT area for the storage of data in the free layer is defined by the width of the conductive via.

A perpendicular spin orbit torque (SOT) memory device includes an electrode having a spin orbit torque material, where the SOT material includes iridium and manganese and a perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction (pMTJ) device on a portion of the electrode. The pMTJ device includes a free magnet structure electrode, a fixed layer and a tunnel barrier between the free layer and the fixed layer and a SAF structure above the fixed layer. The Ir—Mn SOT material and the free magnet have an in-plane magnetic exchange bias.