A nano spintronic device for using the spin current of a ferromagnetic material and the spin current of a heavy metal channel. The device includes a lower channel layer, a free layer, a pinned layer, an insulating film layer, and an upper channel layer. When current flows upon application of power, electrons are divided into +y-polarized spins and −y-polarized spins in the lower channel layer, thereby generating torque in the free layer. The torque switches the magnetization direction of the free layer to an +y-axis direction or an −y-axis direction so that the free layer stores magnetization information according to the magnetization direction. When current flows in the upper channel layer, the current flows into the pinned layer so that electrons in the pinned layer are divided into +y-polarized spins and −y-polarized spins. The insulating layer insulates the free layer and the pinned layer from each other. When power is supplied, current flows in the upper channel layer and flows into the pinned layer, thereby inducing polarized spins in the pinned layer, resulting in the generation of torque in the free layer.

One illustrative MRAM cell disclosed herein includes a bottom electrode, a top electrode positioned above the bottom electrode and an MTJ (Magnetic Tunnel Junction) element positioned above the bottom electrode and below the top electrode. In this example, the MTJ element includes a bottom insulation layer positioned above the bottom electrode, a top insulation layer positioned above the bottom electrode; and a first ferromagnetic material layer positioned between the bottom insulation layer and the top insulation layer.

Some embodiments relate to a memory device. The memory device includes a magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM) cell comprising a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ). The MTJ device comprises a stack of layers, comprising a bottom electrode disposed over a substrate. A seed layer disposed over the bottom electrode. A buffer layer is disposed between the bottom electrode and the seed layer. The buffer layer prevents diffusion of a diffusive species from the bottom electrode to the seed layer.

A semiconductor device may be provided including a first series portion and a second series portion electrically connected in parallel with the first series portion. The first series portion may include a first MTJ stack and a first resistive element electrically connected in series. The second series portion may include a second MTJ stack and a second resistive element electrically connected in series. The first resistive element may include a third MTJ stack and the second resistive element may include a fourth MTJ stack. The first, second, third, and fourth MTJ stacks may include a same number of layers, which may include a fixed layer, a free layer, and a tunnelling barrier layer between the fixed layer and the free layer. Alternatively, the first resistive element may include a first transistor and the second resistive element may include a second transistor.

A detection method and sensors are provided for the rapid detection of chemicals, biological and non-biological, and a wide range of viruses using magnetic tunnel junction-based molecular spintronics devices (MTJMSD) that produce unique magnetic resonance signals before and after interacting with target chemical, biochemical, viral, and other molecular agents.

A semiconductor device includes a base structure of an embedded memory device including a bottom electrode contact (BEC) landing pad within a memory area of the embedded memory device and a first metallization level having at least a first conductive line within a logic area of the embedded memory device, a cap layer disposed on the base structure, a BEC disposed through the cap layer on the BEC landing pad, a memory pillar disposed on the BEC and the cap layer, encapsulation layers encapsulating the memory pillar to protect the memory stack, and a second metallization level including a second conductive line surrounding the top electrode, a via disposed on the first conductive line such that the second via is below the top electrode, and a third conductive line disposed on the via to enable the memory pillar to be fitted between the first and second metallization levels.

The present invention is directed to a magnetic memory cell including a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) memory element and a two-terminal bidirectional selector coupled in series between two conductive lines. The MTJ memory element includes a magnetic free layer, a magnetic reference layer, and an insulating tunnel junction layer interposed therebetween. The two-terminal bidirectional selector includes bottom and top electrodes, first and third volatile switching layers interposed between the bottom and top electrodes, and a second volatile switching layer interposed between the first and third volatile switching layers. The bottom and top electrodes each independently include one of titanium nitride or iridium. The first and third volatile switching layers each include tantalum oxide and silver. The second volatile switching layer includes hafnium oxide and has a higher electrical resistance than the first and third volatile switching layers.

A magnetoresistive element comprises a nonmagnetic nano-current-channel (NCC) structure provided on a surface of the magnetic recording layer, which is opposite to a surface of the magnetic recording layer where the tunnel barrier layer is provided, and comprising a spatial distribution of perpendicular conducting channels throughout the NCC structure thickness and surrounded by an insulating medium, making the magnetic recording layer a magnetically soft-hard composite structure. Correspondingly, the critical write current and write power are reduced with reversal modes of exchange-spring magnets of the magnetically soft-hard composite structure.

Some embodiments relate to a memory device. The memory device includes a magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM) cell comprising a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ). The MTJ device comprises a stack of layers, comprising a bottom electrode disposed over a substrate. A seed layer disposed over the bottom electrode. A buffer layer is disposed between the bottom electrode and the seed layer. The buffer layer prevents diffusion of a diffusive species from the bottom electrode to the seed layer.

Embodiments of the disclosure provide methods and apparatus for fabricating magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structures on a substrate for MRAM applications. In one embodiment, a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device structure includes a junction structure disposed on a substrate, the junction structure comprising a first ferromagnetic layer and a second ferromagnetic layer sandwiching a tunneling barrier layer, a dielectric capping layer disposed on the junction structure, a metal capping layer disposed on the junction structure, and a top buffer layer disposed on the metal capping layer.