A laminated seed layer stack with a smooth top surface having a peak to peak roughness of 0.5 nm is formed by sequentially sputter depositing a first seed layer, a first amorphous layer, a second seed layer, and a second amorphous layer where each seed layer may be Mg and has a resputtering rate 2 to 30X that of the amorphous layers that are TaN, SiN, or a CoFeM alloy. A template layer that is NiCr or NiFeCr is formed on the second amorphous layer. As a result, perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in an overlying magnetic layer that is a reference layer, free layer, or dipole layer is substantially maintained during high temperature processing up to 400 C. and is advantageous for magnetic tunnel junctions in embedded MRAMs, spintronic devices, or in read head sensors. The laminated seed layer stack may include a bottommost Ta or TaN buffer layer.

A magnetoresistance effect element has a first ferromagnetic metal layer, a second ferromagnetic metal layer, and a tunnel barrier layer that is sandwiched between the first and second ferromagnetic metal layers, the tunnel barrier layer has a spinel structure in which cations are arranged in a disordered manner, and the tunnel barrier layer is expressed by a composition formula of (M.sub.1-xZn.sub.x)((T1).sub.2-y(T2).sub.y)O.sub.4 wherein M represents a non-magnetic divalent cation other than Zn, each of T1 and T2 represents a non-magnetic trivalent cation, and x and y represent a composition ratio in a region where composition ratios combined as follows ((1) to (5)) are vertexes, and the vertexes are connected by straight lines: (1) x=0.2, y=0.1, (2) x=0.8, y=0.1, (3) x=0.8, y=1.7, (4) x=0.6, y=1.7, and (5) x=0.2, y=0.7.

A magnetoresistance effect element has a first ferromagnetic metal layer, a second ferromagnetic metal layer, and a tunnel barrier layer that is sandwiched between the first and second ferromagnetic metal layers, the tunnel barrier layer has a spinel structure in which cations are arranged in a disordered manner, and the tunnel barrier layer is expressed by a composition formula of (M.sub.1-xZn.sub.x)((T1).sub.2-y(T2).sub.y)O.sub.4 wherein M represents a non-magnetic divalent cation other than Zn, each of T1 and T2 represents a non-magnetic trivalent cation, and x and y represent a composition ratio in a region where composition ratios combined as follows ((1) to (5)) are vertexes, and the vertexes are connected by straight lines: (1) x=0.2, y=0.1, (2) x=0.8, y=0.1, (3) x=0.8, y=1.7, (4) x=0.6, y=1.7, and (5) x=0.2, y=0.7.

A permanent magnet includes a stack of N patterns stacked immediately one above the other in a stacking direction, each pattern including an antiferromagnetic layer made of antiferromagnetic material, a ferromagnetic layer made of ferromagnetic material, the directions of magnetization of the various ferromagnetic layers of all the patterns all being identical to one another. At least one ferromagnetic layer includes a first sub-layer made of CoFeB whose thickness is greater than 0.05 nm, and a second sub-layer made of a ferromagnetic material different from CoFeB and whose thickness is greater than the thickness of the first sub-layer.

A permanent magnet includes a stack of N patterns stacked immediately one above the other in a stacking direction, each pattern including an antiferromagnetic layer made of antiferromagnetic material, a ferromagnetic layer made of ferromagnetic material, the directions of magnetization of the various ferromagnetic layers of all the patterns all being identical to one another. At least one ferromagnetic layer includes a first sub-layer made of CoFeB whose thickness is greater than 0.05 nm, and a second sub-layer made of a ferromagnetic material different from CoFeB and whose thickness is greater than the thickness of the first sub-layer.

The present disclosure is to provide a ferromagnetic tunnel junction element and a method of manufacturing the ferromagnetic tunnel junction element capable of avoiding changes in the characteristics of the element and maintaining a high fabrication yield, while avoiding an increase in the area occupied by the element and an increase in the number of manufacturing steps. The ferromagnetic tunnel junction element to be provided includes: a first magnetic layer; a first insulating layer disposed on the first magnetic layer; a second magnetic layer containing a magnetic transition metal, the second magnetic layer being disposed on the first insulating layer; and a magnesium oxide film containing the magnetic transition metal, the magnesium oxide film being disposed to cover the side surfaces of the second magnetic layer.

A magnetoresistance effect element has a first ferromagnetic metal layer, a second ferromagnetic metal layer, and a tunnel barrier layer that is sandwiched between the first and second ferromagnetic metal layers, and a tunnel barrier layer that is sandwiched between the first and second ferromagnetic metal layers, the tunnel barrier layer is expressed by a composition formula of AB.sub.2O.sub.x (0<x4), and has a spinel structure in which cations are arranged in a disordered manner, the tunnel barrier layer has a lattice-matched portion and a lattice-mismatched portion, A is a divalent cation of plural non-magnetic elements, B is an aluminum ion, and in the composition formula, the number of the divalent cation is smaller than half the number of the aluminum ion.

A magnetoresistance effect element has a first ferromagnetic metal layer, a second ferromagnetic metal layer, and a tunnel barrier layer that is sandwiched between the first and second ferromagnetic metal layers, and a tunnel barrier layer that is sandwiched between the first and second ferromagnetic metal layers, the tunnel barrier layer is expressed by a composition formula of AB.sub.2O.sub.x (0<x4), and has a spinel structure in which cations are arranged in a disordered manner, the tunnel barrier layer has a lattice-matched portion and a lattice-mismatched portion, A is a divalent cation of plural non-magnetic elements, B is an aluminum ion, and in the composition formula, the number of the divalent cation is smaller than half the number of the aluminum ion.

An FeCoSi alloy magnetic thin film contains, in terms of atomic ratio, 20% to 25% Co and greater than 0% to 20% Si. The FeCoSi alloy magnetic thin film primarily has a body-centered cubic crystal structure. Among three <100> directions of the crystal structure, one of the three <100> directions is perpendicular to a substrate surface and the other two <100> directions are parallel to the substrate surface. The FeCoSi alloy magnetic thin film deposited onto MgO (100) has suitable magnetic properties, that is, a high magnetization of 1100 to 1725 emu/cc, a coercive force of less than 95 Oe, and an effective damping parameter of less than 0.001.

An FeCoSi alloy magnetic thin film contains, in terms of atomic ratio, 20% to 25% Co and greater than 0% to 20% Si. The FeCoSi alloy magnetic thin film primarily has a body-centered cubic crystal structure. Among three <100> directions of the crystal structure, one of the three <100> directions is perpendicular to a substrate surface and the other two <100> directions are parallel to the substrate surface. The FeCoSi alloy magnetic thin film deposited onto MgO (100) has suitable magnetic properties, that is, a high magnetization of 1100 to 1725 emu/cc, a coercive force of less than 95 Oe, and an effective damping parameter of less than 0.001.