An annealing system and method of operating is described. The annealing system includes a furnace having a vacuum chamber wall that defines a processing space into which a plurality of workpieces may be translated and subjected to thermal and magnetic processing, wherein the furnace further includes a heating element assembly having at least one heating element located radially inward from the vacuum chamber wall and immersed within an outer region of the processing space, and wherein the heating element is composed of a non-metallic, anti-magnetic material. The annealing system further includes a magnet system arranged outside the vacuum chamber wall of the furnace, and configured to generate a magnetic field within the processing space.

A method for generating a closed flux magnetization pattern of a predetermined rotational direction in a magnetic reference layer of a magnetic layer stack is provided. The method includes applying an external magnetic field in a predetermined direction to the magnetic layer stack causing magnetic saturation of the magnetic reference layer and of a pinned layer of the magnetic layer stack; and reducing the external magnetic field to form a first closed flux magnetization pattern in the magnetic reference layer and a second closed flux magnetization pattern in the pinned layer.

A method for generating a closed flux magnetization pattern of a predetermined rotational direction in a magnetic reference layer of a magnetic layer stack is provided. The method includes applying an external magnetic field in a predetermined direction to the magnetic layer stack causing magnetic saturation of the magnetic reference layer and of a pinned layer of the magnetic layer stack; and reducing the external magnetic field to form a first closed flux magnetization pattern in the magnetic reference layer and a second closed flux magnetization pattern in the pinned layer.

A magnetoresistive sensor includes a magnetic reference layer. The magnetic reference layer includes a permanent closed flux magnetization pattern of a predetermined rotational direction. Furthermore, the magnetoresistive sensor includes a magnetic free layer. The magnetic free layer has a total lateral area that is smaller than a total lateral area of the magnetic reference layer. A centroid of the magnetic free layer is laterally displaced with respect to a centroid of the magnetic reference layer.

A MR structure that comprises ferromagnetic layers separated by a spacer layer is formed on a substrate. One of the ferromagnetic layer is a pinned layer whose magnetic orientation is substantially fixed during operation. An insulating layer is deposited on the MR structure followed by deposition of a metallic layer. The metallic layer is patterned in to heat resistor. The MR structure is annealed by use of the heat resistor and an external magnetic field. After annealing, the insulating layer and the heat resistor are removed.

A MR structure that comprises ferromagnetic layers separated by a spacer layer is formed on a substrate. One of the ferromagnetic layer is a pinned layer whose magnetic orientation is substantially fixed during operation. An insulating layer is deposited on the MR structure followed by deposition of a metallic layer. The metallic layer is patterned in to heat resistor. The MR structure is annealed by use of the heat resistor and an exte4rnal magnetic field. After annealing, the insulating layer and the heat resistor are removed.

According to one embodiment, a magnetic device includes a magnetoresistive effect element. The magnetoresistive effect element includes a first nonmagnet, a second nonmagnet, a first ferromagnet between the first nonmagnet and the second nonmagnet, a third nonmagnet including a rare-earth oxide, the second nonmagnet between the first ferromagnet and the third nonmagnet, and a fourth nonmagnet between the second nonmagnet and the third nonmagnet and including a metal.

A nonvolatile memory cell includes a layered structure body formed by layering a storage layer that stores information in accordance with a magnetization direction and a magnetization fixed layer that defines a magnetization direction of the storage layer; and a heating layer that heats the magnetization fixed layer to control a magnetization direction of the magnetization fixed layer.

A permanent magnet including, at least once per group of ten consecutive ferromagnetic layers, a growth layer directly interposed between a top antiferromagnetic layer of a previous pattern and a bottom antiferromagnetic layer of a following pattern. This growth layer is entirely realized in a nonmagnetic material chosen from the group made up of the following metals: Ta, Cu, Ru, V, Mo, Hf, Mg, NiCr and NiFeCr, or it is realized by a stack of several sublayers of nonmagnetic material disposed immediately on one another, at least one of these sublayers being entirely realized in a material chosen from the group. The thickness of the growth layer is greater than 0.5 nm.

MTJ material stacks, pSTTM devices employing such stacks, and computing platforms employing such pSTTM devices. In some embodiments, perpendicular MTJ material stacks include one or more electrode interface material layers disposed between a an electrode metal, such as TiN, and a seed layer of an antiferromagnetic layer or synthetic antiferromagnetic (SAF) stack. The electrode interface material layers may include either or both of a Ta material layer or CoFeB material layer. In some Ta embodiments, a Ru material layer may be deposited on a TiN electrode surface, followed by the Ta material layer. In some CoFeB embodiments, a CoFeB material layer may be deposited directly on a TiN electrode surface, or a Ta material layer may be deposited on the TiN electrode surface, followed by the CoFeB material layer.