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.

Example implementations are concerned with magnetoresistive sensors and with corresponding fabrication methods for magnetoresistive sensors. One example here relates to a magnetoresistive sensor having a layer stack. The layer stack comprises a reference layer having a reference magnetization, which is fixed and has a first magnetic orientation. The layer stack comprises a magnetically free layer. The magnetically free layer has a magnetically free magnetization. The magnetically free magnetization is variable in the presence of an external magnetic field. The magnetically free magnetization has a second magnetic orientation in a ground state. One of the first or the second magnetic orientation is oriented in-plane and the other is oriented out-of-plane. The layer stack comprises a metal multilayer. In this case, either the metal multilayer is arranged adjacent to the magnetically free layer, or the metal multilayer constitutes the magnetically free layer.

Provided is an FePt based magnetic material sintered compact, comprising BN and SiO.sub.2 as non-magnetic materials, wherein Si and O are present in a region where B or N is present at a cut surface of the sintered compact. A high density sputtering target is provided which enables production of a magnetic thin film for heat-assisted magnetic recording media, and also reduces the amount of particles generated during sputtering.

A method of producing an oppositely magnetized magnetic structure within or on a substrate material includes: First and second numbers of cavities are generated within or on a substrate material and are filled with first and second hard magnetic materials, respectively, exhibiting first and second coercive field strengths, respectively, so as to produce first and second arrangements of hard magnetic structures, respectively, the second coercive field strength being smaller than the first coercive field strength.

The first and second arrangements of hard magnetic structures are magnetized in a first direction by a first magnetic field exhibiting a field strength which exceeds the first and second coercive field strengths.

The second arrangement of hard magnetic structures is magnetized in a second direction, which differs from the first direction, by a second magnetic field exhibiting a field strength which falls below the first coercive field strength but exceeds the second coercive field strength. Magnetizing the second arrangement of hard magnetic structures includes exposing the first and second arrangements of hard magnetic structures to the second magnetic field.

A material may include at least one of Bi.sub.xSe.sub.(1-x), Bi.sub.xTe.sub.(1-x), or Sb.sub.xTe.sub.(1-x), where x is greater than 0 and less than 1. In some examples, the material exhibits a Spin Hall Angle of greater than 3.5 at room temperature. The disclosure also describes examples of devices that include a spin-orbit torque generating layer, in which the spin-orbit torque generating layer includes at least one of Bi.sub.xSe.sub.(1-x), Bi.sub.xTe.sub.(1-x), or Sb.sub.xTe.sub.(1-x), where x is greater than 0 and less than 1. In some examples, the spin-orbit torque generating layer exhibits a Spin Hall Angle of greater than 3.5 at room temperature.

A synthetic antiferromagnetic structure for a spintronic device is disclosed and has an FL2/Co or Co alloy/antiferromagnetic coupling/Co or Co alloy/CoFeB configuration where FL2 is a ferromagnetic free layer with intrinsic PMA. Antiferromagnetic coupling is improved by inserting a Co or Co alloy dusting layer on top and bottom surfaces of the antiferromagnetic coupling layer. The FL2 layer may be a L10 ordered alloy, a rare earth-transition metal alloy, or an (A1/A2).sub.n laminate where A1 is one of Co, CoFe, or an alloy thereof, and A2 is one of Pt, Pd, Rh, Ru, Ir, Mg, Mo, Os, Si, V, Ni, NiCo, and NiFe, or A1 is Fe and A2 is V. A method is also provided for forming the synthetic antiferromagnetic structure.

A magnetic device may include a layer stack. The layer stack may include a first ferromagnetic layer; a non-magnetic spacer layer on the first ferromagnetic layer, where the non-magnetic spacer layer comprises at least one of Ru, Ir, Ta, Cr, W, Mo, Re, Hf, Zr, or V; a second ferromagnetic layer on the non-magnetic spacer layer; and an oxide layer on the second ferromagnetic layer. The magnetic device also may include a voltage source configured to apply a bias voltage across the layer stack to cause switching of a magnetic orientation of the second ferromagnetic layer without application of an external magnetic field or a current. A thickness and composition of the non-magnetic spacer layer may be selected to enable a switching direction of the magnetic orientation of the second ferromagnetic layer to be controlled by a sign of the bias voltage.

A first memory device includes a first magnetoresistive cell having a plurality of deposition layers. A second memory device includes a second magnetoresistive cell having a plurality of deposition layers. Each of the plurality of deposition layers of the second magnetoresistive cell corresponds to one of the plurality of deposition layers of the first magnetoresistive cell. One of the plurality of deposition layers of the second magnetoresistive cell is thinner than a corresponding deposition layer of the plurality of deposition layers of the first magnetoresistive cell.

A magnetoresistance element (e.g. a spin valve) for detecting a changing magnetic field includes a pinning layer, pinned layer adjacent to the pinning layer, a spacer layer adjacent to the pinned layer, and a free layer adjacent to the spacer layer and arranged so that the spacer layer is between the pinned layer and the free layer. The pinned layer has a bias with a bias direction configured to reduce an effect of a static field on the detection of the changing magnetic field.

Provided is an FePt based magnetic material sintered compact, comprising BN and SiO.sub.2 as non-magnetic materials, wherein Si and O are present in a region where B or N is present at a cut surface of the sintered compact. A high density sputtering target is provided which enables production of a magnetic thin film for heat-assisted magnetic recording media, and also reduces the amount of particles generated during sputtering.