A dual magnetic tunnel junction (DMTJ) is disclosed with a PL1/TB1/free layer/TB2/PL2/capping layer configuration wherein a first tunnel barrier (TB1) has a substantially lower resistancearea (RA.sub.1) product than RA.sub.2 for an overlying second tunnel barrier (TB2) to provide an acceptable net magnetoresistive ratio (DRR). Moreover, magnetizations in first and second pinned layers, PL1 and PL2, respectively, are aligned antiparallel to enable a lower critical switching current than when in a parallel alignment. An oxide capping layer having a RA.sub.CAP is formed on PL2 to provide higher PL2 stability. The condition RA.sub.1<RA.sub.2 and RA.sub.CAP<RA.sub.2 is achieved when TB1 and the oxide capping layer have one or both of a smaller thickness and a lower oxidation state than TB2, are comprised of conductive (metal) channels in a metal oxide or metal oxynitride matrix, or are comprised of a doped metal oxide or doped metal oxynitride layer.

The magnetic memory element (100) includes: a conductive layer that includes a heavy metal layer (10) containing a 5d transition metal; a first ferromagnetic layer (20) that is adjacent to the conductive layer and contains a ferromagnetic layer having a reversible magnetization; a barrier layer (30) that is adjacent to the first ferromagnetic layer (20) and includes an insulating material; a reference layer (40) that is adjacent to the barrier layer (30) and has at least one second ferromagnetic layer (41) having a fixed magnetization direction; a cap layer (50) that is adjacent to the reference layer (40) and includes a conductive material; a first terminal (T1) that is capable of introducing a current into one end of the heavy metal layer (10) in the longitudinal direction; a second terminal (T2) that is capable of introducing a current into the other end of the heavy metal layer (10) in the longitudinal direction; and a third terminal (T3) that is capable of introducing a current into the cap layer (50).

The disclosed technology generally relates to a magnetoresistive device and more particularly to a magnetoresistive device comprising chromium. According to an aspect, a method of forming a magnetoresistive device comprises forming a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure over a substrate. The MTJ structure includes, in a bottom-up direction away from the substrate, a free layer, a tunnel barrier layer and a reference layer. The method additionally includes forming a pinning layer over the MTJ structure, wherein the pinning layer pins a magnetization direction of the reference layer. The method additionally includes forming capping layer comprising chromium (Cr) over the pinning layer. The method further includes annealing the capping layer under a condition sufficient to cause diffusion of Cr from the capping layer into at least the pinning layer. According to another aspect, a magnetoresistive device is formed according to the method.

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 x 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.

A magnetoresistive random access memory and a method for manufacturing the same are provided, with which a stress layer covers a part of the protective layer along a direction of a current in the spin-orbit coupling layer, so that a stress is generated on the part of the magnetic layer locally due to the stress layer, thus a lateral asymmetric structure is formed in a direction perpendicular to the current source. In a case that a current is supplied to the spin-orbit coupling layer, the spin-orbit coupling effect in the magnetic layer is asymmetric due to the stress on the part of the magnetic layer, thereby realizing a deterministic switching of the magnetic moment under the function of the stress.

A permanent magnet comprising an antiferromagnetic layer and a ferromagnetic layer having a first sub-layer made of a first type of ferromagnetic material, the first type of ferromagnetic material being an at least partially crystallized alloy of iron and cobalt, and a second sub-layer made of a second type of ferromagnetic material, this second type of ferromagnetic material also being an alloy of iron and cobalt in which the proportion of face-centered cubic crystals is less than the proportion of face-centered cubic crystals in the first type of ferromagnetic material.

A perpendicular synthetic antiferromagnetic (pSAF) structure and method of making such a structure is disclosed. The pSAF structure comprises a first high perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy (PMA) multilayer and a second high PMA layer separated by a thin Ruthenium layer. Each PMA layer is comprised of a first cobalt layer and a second cobalt layer separated by a nickel/cobalt multilayer. After each of the first and second PMA layers and the Ruthenium exchange coupling layer are deposited, the resulting structure goes through a high temperature annealing step, which results in each of the first and second PMA layers having a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.

The present invention is directed to a magnetic memory element including a magnetic free layer structure having a variable magnetization direction perpendicular to a layer plane thereof; a non-magnetic metal layer formed adjacent to the magnetic free layer structure; an oxide layer formed adjacent to the non-magnetic metal layer; an insulating tunnel junction layer formed adjacent to the magnetic free layer structure opposite the non-magnetic metal layer; a first magnetic reference layer formed adjacent to the insulating tunnel junction layer; a second magnetic reference layer separated from the first magnetic reference layer by a perpendicular enhancement layer; an antiferromagnetic coupling layer formed adjacent to the second magnetic reference layer; and a magnetic fixed layer structure formed adjacent to the antiferromagnetic 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 structure has a second invariable magnetization direction substantially opposite to the first invariable magnetization direction.

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.

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.