A magnetoresistive memory device includes a magnetic tunnel junction comprising a free layer, a reference layer, and an insulating tunnel barrier layer located between the free layer and the reference layer, a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) ferromagnetic layer that is vertically spaced from the free layer, an electrically conductive, non-magnetic interlayer exchange coupling layer located between the free layer and the PMA ferromagnetic layer. The magnetoresistive memory device is a hybrid magnetoresistive memory device which is programmed by a combination of a spin-torque transfer effect and a voltage-controlled exchange coupling effect.

Magnetic structures including magnetic inductors and magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ)-containing structures that have tapered sidewalls are formed without using an ion beam etch (IBE). The magnetic structures are formed by providing a material stack of a dielectric capping layer and a sacrificial dielectric material layer above a lower interconnect level. First and second etching steps are performed to pattern the sacrificial dielectric material layer and the dielectric capping layer such that a patterned dielectric capping layer is provided with a tapered sidewall. After removing the sacrificial dielectric material layer, a magnetic material-containing stack is formed within the opening in the patterned dielectric capping layer and atop the patterned dielectric capping layer. A planarization process is then employed to pattern the magnetic-containing stack by removing the magnetic material-containing stack that is located atop the patterned dielectric capping layer.

A spin-transfer torque (STT) magnetoresistive memory device includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a magnetic tunnel junction located between the first electrode and the second electrode. The magnetic tunnel junpction includes a reference layer having a fixed magnetization direction, a free layer stack, and a nonmagnetic tunnel barrier layer located between the reference layer and the free layer stack. The free layer stack has a total thickness of less than 2 nm, and contains in order, a proximal ferromagnetic layer located proximal to the nonmagnetic tunnel barrier layer, a first non-magnetic metal sub-monolayer, an intermediate ferromagnetic layer, a second non-magnetic metal sub-monolayer, and a distal ferromagnetic layer.

Magnetoelectric or magnetoresistive memory cells include at least one of a high dielectric constant dielectric capping layer and/or a nonmagnetic metal dust layer located between the free layer and the dielectric capping layer.

In a non-limiting embodiment, a semiconductor device may include a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack. The MTJ stack may include a reference layer comprising a magnetic layer, a first tunneling barrier layer arranged over the reference layer, a free layer comprising a magnetic layer arranged over the first tunneling barrier layer, and a capping layer arranged over the reference layer, the first tunneling barrier layer and the free layer. The capping layer may be a non-magnetic layer. According to various non-limiting embodiments, the capping layer may include a rare earth element. According to various non-limiting embodiments, the MTJ stack may further include a second tunneling barrier layer arranged between the free layer and the capping layer. The capping layer may contact the second tunneling barrier layer.

The present invention is directed to a magnetic memory element including a magnetic free layer structure incorporating three magnetic free layers separated by two perpendicular enhancement layers (PELs) and having a variable magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to layer planes thereof; an insulating tunnel junction layer formed adjacent to the magnetic free layer structure; a first magnetic reference layer formed adjacent to the insulating tunnel junction layer opposite the magnetic free layer structure; a second magnetic reference layer separated from the first magnetic reference layer by a third perpendicular enhancement layer; an anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer formed adjacent to the second magnetic reference layer; and a magnetic fixed layer formed adjacent to the anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer. The first and second magnetic reference layers have a first invariable magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to layer planes thereof. The magnetic fixed layer has a second invariable magnetization direction substantially opposite to the first invariable magnetization direction.

An object of the present invention is to provide a Magneto-Resistance (MR) element showing a high Magneto-Resistance (MR) ratio and having a suitable Resistance-Area (RA) for device applications. The MR element of the present invention has a laminated structure including a first ferromagnetic layer 16, a non-magnetic layer 18, and a second ferromagnetic layer 20 on a substrate 10, wherein the first ferromagnetic layer 16 includes a Heusler alloy, the second ferromagnetic layer 20 includes a Heusler alloy, the non-magnetic layer 18 includes a I-III-VI.sub.2 chalcopyrite-type compound semiconductor, and the non-magnetic layer 18 has a thickness of 0.5 to 3 nm, and wherein the MR element shows a Magneto-Resistance (MR) change of 40% or more, and has a resistance-area (RA) of 0.1 [Ωμm.sup.2] or more and 3 [Ωμm.sup.2] or less.

A magnetic stack includes a first element including a ferromagnetic layer; a second element including a metal layer able to confer on the assembly formed by the first and the second elements a magnetic anisotropy perpendicular to the plane of the layers. The first element further includes a refractory metal material, the second element being arranged on the first element.

A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) 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 increase thermal stability. In some embodiments, a capping layer that is a conductive metal nitride such as MoN contacts an opposite surface of the Hk enhancing layer with respect to the first interface to reduce interdiffusion of oxygen and nitrogen compared with a TiN capping layer and maintain an acceptable resistance×area (RA) product. In other embodiments, the capping layer may comprise an insulating nitride such as AlN that is alloyed with a conductive metal to minimize RA. Furthermore, a metallic buffer layer may be inserted between the capping layer and Hk enhancing layer. As a result, electrical shorts are reduced and the magnetoresistive ratio is increased.

The present disclosure relates to a spin-orbit torque-based switching device and a method of fabricating the same. The spin-orbit torque-based switching device of the present disclosure includes a spin torque generating layer provided with a tungsten-vanadium alloy thin film exhibiting perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) characteristics and a magnetization free layer formed on the spin torque generating layer.