Abstract: One or more magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) pillars are disposed on a substrate. The pillars have one or more magnetic reference layers and one or more magnetic free layers. The magnetic free layers have one or more external surfaces and are made of a magnetic free layer material containing atomic percentage amount of boron. A boron-containing encapsulation layer encapsulates the MTJ pillar(s) and is in direct contact with the magnetic free layer external surfaces. The boron-containing encapsulation layer contains an atomic percentage amount of boron greater than the magnetic free layer atomic percentage amount of boron. Embodiments of the boron-containing encapsulation layer contain at least 95 percent pure boron and are between 1 and 3 nanometers thick.

Abstract: A top pinned SAF-containing magnetic tunnel junction structure is provided that contains a coupling spacer composed of a paramagnetic hexagonal metal phase material that has a stoichiometric ratio of Me3X or Me2X, wherein Me is a magnetic metal having a magnetic moment and X is a metal that alloys with Me in a hexagonal phase and dilutes the magnetic moment of Me. In embodiments in which a Me3X coupling spacer is present, Me is cobalt, and X is vanadium, niobium, tantalum, molybdenum or tungsten. In embodiments in which a Me2X coupling spacer is present, Me is iron and X is tantalum or tungsten. The coupling spacer is formed by providing a material stack including at least a precursor paramagnetic hexagonal metal phase material forming multilayered structure that includes alternating layers of magnetic metal, Me, and metal, X, and then thermally soaking the material stack.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic tunnel junction device is provided. The method includes forming an MTJ stack including a reference layer, a tunnel barrier layer formed on the reference layer, a free layer formed on the barrier layer, and a cap layer formed on the free layer. The method also includes performing ion beam etching (IBE) through each layer of the MTJ stack to form at least one MTJ pillar. The method also includes forming an isolation layer on sidewalls of at least the tunnel barrier layer, the isolation layer comprising a same material as that of the tunnel barrier layer. A combined width of the isolation layer and the tunnel barrier layer is equal to or greater than a width of at least one of the reference layer and the free layer.

Abstract: A within-chip magnetic field control device is formed in proximity to a Josephson Junction (JJ) structure. The within-chip magnetic field control device includes wiring structures that are located laterally adjacent to the JJ structure. In some embodiments, the magnetic field control device also includes, in addition to the wiring structures, a conductive plate that is connected to the wiring structures and is located beneath the JJ structure. Use of electrical current through the wiring structures induces, either directly or indirectly, a magnetic field into the JJ structure. The strength of the field can be modulated by the amount of current passing through the wiring structures. The magnetic field can be turned off as needed by ceasing to allow current to flow through the wiring structures.

Abstract: A top pinned magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack containing a magnetic pinned layered structure including a second magnetic pinned layer having strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) is provided. In the present application, the magnetic pinned layered structure includes a crystal grain growth controlling layer located between a first magnetic pinned layer having a body centered cubic (BCC) texture and the second magnetic pinned layer. The presence of the crystal grain growth controlling layer facilitates formation of a second magnetic pinned layer having a face centered cubic (FCC) texture or a hexagonal closed packing (HCP) texture which, in turn, promotes strong PMA to the second magnetic pinned layer of the magnetic pinned layered structure.

Abstract: A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack structure having an enhanced write performance and thermal stability (i.e., retention) is provided which can be used as an element/component of a spin-transfer torque (STT) MRAM device. The improved write performance, particularly the write error rate slope as a function of write voltage (Vfrc) which is essential in defining the overdrive voltage needed to successfully write a bit at low write error floors, is provided by a MTJ stack structure in which a zirconium (Zr) cap layer is inserted between a MTJ capping layer and an etch stop layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic tunnel junction device is provided. The method includes forming an MTJ stack including a reference layer, a tunnel barrier layer formed on the reference layer, a free layer formed on the barrier layer, and a cap layer formed on the free layer. The method also includes performing ion beam etching (IBE) through each layer of the MTJ stack to form at least one MTJ pillar. The method also includes forming an isolation layer on sidewalls of at least the tunnel barrier layer, the isolation layer comprising a same material as that of the tunnel barrier layer. A combined width of the isolation layer and the tunnel barrier layer is equal to or greater than a width of at least one of the reference layer and the free layer.

Abstract: A bottom pinned magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack containing a top magnetic free layer having a high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy field is provided which can be used as an element/component of a spin-transfer torque (STT) MRAM device. The top magnetic free layer is composed of an ordered aluminum-manganese-germanium-containing alloy having a tetragonal crystalline symmetry. The top magnetic free layer is formed directly on a tunnel barrier layer of the bottom pinned MTJ stack without the need of a specialized metallic seed layer.

Abstract: A top pinned magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack containing a magnetic pinned layered structure including a second magnetic pinned layer having strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) is provided. In the present application, the magnetic pinned layered structure includes a crystal grain growth controlling layer located between a first magnetic pinned layer having a body centered cubic (BCC) texture and the second magnetic pinned layer. The presence of the crystal grain growth controlling layer facilitates formation of a second magnetic pinned layer having a face centered cubic (FCC) texture or a hexagonal closed packing (HCP) texture which, in turn, promotes strong PMA to the second magnetic pinned layer of the magnetic pinned layered structure.

Abstract: A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack structure having an enhanced write performance and thermal stability (i.e., retention) is provided which can be used as an element/component of a spin-transfer torque (STT) MRAM device. The improved write performance, particularly the write error rate slope as a function of write voltage (Vfrc) which is essential in defining the overdrive voltage needed to successfully write a bit at low write error floors, is provided by a MTJ stack structure in which a zirconium (Zr) cap layer is inserted between a MTJ capping layer and an etch stop layer.

Abstract: A within-chip magnetic field control device is formed in proximity to a Josephson Junction (JJ) structure. The within-chip magnetic field control device includes wiring structures that are located laterally adjacent to the JJ structure. In some embodiments, the magnetic field control device also includes, in addition to the wiring structures, a conductive plate that is connected to the wiring structures and is located beneath the JJ structure. Use of electrical current through the wiring structures induces, either directly or indirectly, a magnetic field into the JJ structure. The strength of the field can be modulated by the amount of current passing through the wiring structures. The magnetic field can be turned off as needed by ceasing to allow current to flow through the wiring structures.

Abstract: Fabricating a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) device includes receiving a wafer structure having a first inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer and a metal material disposed within the first ILD layer. A second ILD layer is deposited upon a top surface of the first ILD layer and the metal material. A trench is formed within the second ILD layer extending to the top surface of the metal material. A plurality of magnetic stack layers of a magnetic stack and an electrode layer are deposited within the trench. Portions of each of the magnetic stack layers of the magnetic stack and the electrode layer are removed to form a v-shaped magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) in contact with the metal material.

Abstract: Fabricating a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) device includes receiving a wafer structure having a first inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer and a metal material disposed within the first ILD layer. A second ILD layer is deposited upon a top surface of the first ILD layer and the metal material. A trench is formed within the second ILD layer extending to the top surface of the metal material. A plurality of magnetic stack layers of a magnetic stack and an electrode layer are deposited within the trench. Portions of each of the magnetic stack layers of the magnetic stack and the electrode layer are removed to form a v-shaped magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) in contact with the metal material.

Abstract: A crystal grain growth controlling dusting layer is added to a magnetic free layer stack of a magnetic tunnel junction structure. The crystal grain growth controlling dusting layer, which is inserted between first and second magnetic layers of the magnetic free layer stack, is composed of a non-magnetic material that is capable of improving the grain growth homogeneity of the various components of the magnetic tunnel junction structure by slowing down grain growth dynamics and by controlling oxygen diffusion. The homogenization of the grain growth and oxygen distribution allows low write error rates and low write error rate slopes spin-transfer torque magnetic random access memory devices.

Abstract: A magneto resistive random access memory (MRAM) structure and method for making the same. The MRAM structure includes: a magnetic free layer, an oxidized Niobium (Nb) capping layer over the magnetic free layer, and a nonmagnetic insulating tunnel barrier layer in between the magnetic free layer and a magnetic metal reference layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a seed layer and a multilayer stack of one or more multilayers disposed over the seed layer, each of the one or more multilayers including a magnetic layer and an additional layer disposed over a top surface of the magnetic layer. The additional layer includes a non-magnetic material and a dusting material. The multilayer stack provides a reference layer of a perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction stack. The magnetic layer may be formed of cobalt, the non-magnetic material may be at least one of iridium and rhodium, and the dusting material may be at least one of platinum, ruthenium, palladium, gold and nickel.

Abstract: Magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) devices with a heterogeneous free layer structure particularly suited for efficient spin-torque-transfer (STT) magnetic random access memory (MRAM) (STT MRAM) are disclosed. In one aspect, a MTJ structure with a reduced thickness first pinned layer section provided below a first tunnel magneto-resistance (TMR) barrier layer is provided. The first pinned layer section includes one pinned layer magnetized in one magnetic orientation. In another aspect, a second pinned layer section and a second TMR barrier layer are provided above a free layer section and above the first TMR barrier layer in the MTJ. The second pinned layer is magnetized in a magnetic orientation that is anti-parallel (AP) to that of the first pinned layer section. In yet another aspect, the free layer comprises first and second heterogeneous layers separated by an anti-ferromagnetic coupling spacer, the first and second heterogeneous layers differing in their magnetic anisotropy.

Abstract: A material stack of a synthetic anti-ferromagnetic (SAF) reference layer of a perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) may include an SAF coupling layer. The material stack may also include and an amorphous spacer layer on the SAF coupling layer. The amorphous spacer layer may include an alloy or multilayer of tantalum and cobalt or tantalum and iron or cobalt and iron and tantalum. The amorphous spacer layer may also include a treated surface of the SAF coupling layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device, a second MTJ device, and a top electrode. The first MTJ device includes a barrier layer. The second MTJ device includes the barrier layer. The top electrode is coupled to the first MTJ device and the second MTJ device.

Abstract: A material stack of a synthetic anti-ferromagnetic (SAF) reference layer of a perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) may include an SAF coupling layer. The material stack may also include and an amorphous spacer layer on the SAF coupling layer. The amorphous spacer layer may include an alloy or multilayer of tantalum and cobalt or tantalum and iron or cobalt and iron and tantalum. The amorphous spacer layer may also include a treated surface of the SAF coupling layer.