Abstract: A magnetoresistive magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack includes a free magnetic region, a fixed magnetic region, and a dielectric layer positioned between the free magnetic region and the fixed magnetic region. In one aspect, the fixed magnetic region consists essentially of an unpinned, fixed synthetic anti-ferromagnetic (SAF) structure which comprises (i) a first layer of one or more ferromagnetic materials, including cobalt, (ii) a multi-layer region including a plurality of layers of ferromagnetic materials, wherein the plurality of layers of ferromagnetic materials include a layer of one or more ferromagnetic materials including cobalt, and (iii) an anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer disposed between the first layer and the multi-layer region. The free magnetic region may include a circular shape, the one or more ferromagnetic materials of the first layer may include cobalt, iron and boron, and the dielectric layer may be disposed on the first layer.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive stack/structure and method of manufacturing same comprising wherein the stack/structure includes a seed region, a fixed magnetic region disposed on and in contact with the seed region, a dielectric layer(s) disposed on the fixed magnetic region and a free magnetic region disposed on the dielectric layer(s). In one embodiment, the seed region comprises an alloy including nickel and chromium having (i) a thickness greater than or equal to 40 Angstroms (+/?10%) and less than or equal to 60 Angstroms (+/?10%), and (ii) a material composition or content of chromium within a range of 25-60 atomic percent (+/?10%) or 30-50 atomic percent (+/?10%).

Abstract: A magnetoresistive element (e.g., a spin-torque magnetoresistive memory element) includes a fixed magnetic layer, a free magnetic layer, having a high-iron alloy interface region located along a surface of the free magnetic layer, wherein the high-iron alloy interface region has at least 50% iron by atomic composition, and a first dielectric, disposed between the fixed magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer. The magnetoresistive element further includes a second dielectric, having a first surface that is in contact with the surface of the free magnetic layer, and an electrode, disposed between the second dielectric and a conductor. The electrode includes: (i) a non-ferromagnetic portion having a surface that is in contact with a second surface of the second dielectric, and (ii) a second portion having at least one ferromagnetic material disposed between the non-ferromagnetic portion of the electrode and the conductor.

Abstract: A semiconductor process integrates three bridge circuits, each include magnetoresistive sensors coupled as a Wheatstone bridge on a single chip to sense a magnetic field in three orthogonal directions. The process includes various deposition and etch steps forming the magnetoresistive sensors and a plurality of flux guides on one of the three bridge circuits for transferring a “Z” axis magnetic field onto sensors orientated in the XY plane.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive element (e.g., a spin-torque magnetoresistive memory element) includes a fixed magnetic layer, a free magnetic layer, having a high-iron alloy interface region located along a surface of the free magnetic layer, wherein the high-iron alloy interface region has at least 50% iron by atomic composition, and a first dielectric, disposed between the fixed magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer. The magnetoresistive element further includes a second dielectric, having a first surface that is in contact with the surface of the free magnetic layer, and an electrode, disposed between the second dielectric and a conductor. The electrode includes: (i) a non-ferromagnetic portion having a surface that is in contact with a second surface of the second dielectric, and (ii) a second portion having at least one ferromagnetic material disposed between the non-ferromagnetic portion of the electrode and the conductor.

Abstract: A semiconductor process integrates three bridge circuits, each include magnetoresistive sensors coupled as a Wheatstone bridge on a single chip to sense a magnetic field in three orthogonal directions. The process includes various deposition and etch steps forming the magnetoresistive sensors and a plurality of flux guides on one of the three bridge circuits for transferring a “Z” axis magnetic field onto sensors orientated in the XY plane.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack includes a free magnetic region, a fixed magnetic region, and a dielectric layer positioned between the free magnetic region and the fixed magnetic region. In one aspect, the fixed magnetic region consists essentially of an unpinned, fixed synthetic anti-ferromagnetic (SAF) structure which comprises (i) a first layer of one or more ferromagnetic materials, including cobalt, (ii) a multi-layer region including a plurality of layers of ferromagnetic materials, wherein the plurality of layers of ferromagnetic materials include a layer of one or more ferromagnetic materials including cobalt, and (iii) an anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer disposed between the first layer and the multi-layer region. The free magnetic region may include a circular shape, the one or more ferromagnetic materials of the first layer may include cobalt, iron and boron, and the dielectric layer may be disposed on the first layer.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack includes a free magnetic region, a fixed magnetic region, and a dielectric layer positioned between the free magnetic region and the fixed magnetic region. In one aspect, the fixed magnetic region consists essentially of an unpinned, fixed synthetic anti-ferromagnetic (SAF) structure which comprises (i) a first layer of one or more ferromagnetic materials, including cobalt, (ii) a multi-layer region including a plurality of layers of ferromagnetic materials, wherein the plurality of layers of ferromagnetic materials include a layer of one or more ferromagnetic materials including cobalt, and (iii) an anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer disposed between the first layer and the multi-layer region. The free magnetic region may include a circular shape, the one or more ferromagnetic materials of the first layer may include cobalt, iron and boron, and the dielectric layer may be disposed on the first layer.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive stack/structure and method of manufacturing same comprising wherein the stack/structure includes a seed region, a fixed magnetic region disposed on and in contact with the seed region, a dielectric layer(s) disposed on the fixed magnetic region and a free magnetic region disposed on the dielectric layer(s). In one embodiment, the seed region comprises an alloy including nickel and chromium having (i) a thickness greater than or equal to 40 Angstroms (+/?10%) and less than or equal to 60 Angstroms (+/?10%), and (ii) a material composition or content of chromium within a range of 25-60 atomic percent (+/?10%) or 30-50 atomic percent (+/?10%).

Abstract: A magnetoresistive element (e.g., a spin-torque magnetoresistive memory element) includes a fixed magnetic layer, a free magnetic layer, having a high-iron alloy interface region located along a surface of the free magnetic layer, wherein the high-iron alloy interface region has at least 50% iron by atomic composition, and a first dielectric, disposed between the fixed magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer. The magnetoresistive element further includes a second dielectric, having a first surface that is in contact with the surface of the free magnetic layer, and an electrode, disposed between the second dielectric and a conductor. The electrode includes: (i) a non-ferromagnetic portion having a surface that is in contact with a second surface of the second dielectric, and (ii) a second portion having at least one ferromagnetic material disposed between the non-ferromagnetic portion of the electrode and the conductor.

Abstract: A sensor and fabrication process are provided for forming reference layers with substantially orthogonal magnetization directions having zero offset with a small compensation angle. An exemplary embodiment includes a sensor layer stack of a magnetoresistive thin-film based magnetic field sensor, the sensor layer stack comprising a pinning layer; a pinned layer including a layer of amorphous material over the pinning layer, and a first layer of crystalline material over the layer of amorphous material; a nonmagnetic coupling layer over the pinned layer; a fixed layer over the nonmagnetic coupling layer; a tunnel barrier over the fixed layer; and a sense layer over the nonmagnetic intermediate layer. Another embodiment includes a sensor layer stack where a pinned layer including two crystalline layers separated by a amorphous layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor process integrates three bridge circuits, each include magnetoresistive sensors coupled as a Wheatstone bridge on a single chip to sense a magnetic field in three orthogonal directions. The process includes various deposition and etch steps forming the magnetoresistive sensors and a plurality of flux guides on one of the three bridge circuits for transferring a “Z” axis magnetic field onto sensors orientated in the XY plane.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive memory element (for example, a spin-torque magnetoresistive memory element), includes first and second dielectric layers, wherein at least one of the dielectric layers is a magnetic tunnel junction. The memory element also includes a free magnetic layer having a first surface in contact with the first dielectric layer and a second surface in contact with the second dielectric layer. The free magnetic layer, which is disposed between the first and second dielectric layers, includes (i) a first high-iron interface region located along the first surface of the free magnetic layer, wherein the first high-iron interface region has at least 50% iron by atomic composition, and (ii) a first layer of ferromagnetic material adjacent to the first high-iron interface region, the first high-iron interface region between the first layer of ferromagnetic material and the first surface of the free magnetic layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor process integrates three bridge circuits, each include magnetoresistive sensors coupled as a Wheatstone bridge on a single chip to sense a magnetic field in three orthogonal directions. The process includes various deposition and etch steps forming the magnetoresistive sensors and a plurality of flux guides on one of the three bridge circuits for transferring a “Z” axis magnetic field onto sensors orientated in the XY plane.

Abstract: A semiconductor process integrates three bridge circuits, each include magnetoresistive sensors coupled as a Wheatstone bridge on a single chip to sense a magnetic field in three orthogonal directions. The process includes various deposition and etch steps forming the magnetoresistive sensors and a plurality of flux guides on one of the three bridge circuits for transferring a “Z” axis magnetic field onto sensors orientated in the XY plane.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack includes a free magnetic region, a fixed magnetic region, and a dielectric layer positioned between the free magnetic region and the fixed magnetic region. In one aspect, the fixed magnetic region consists essentially of an unpinned, fixed synthetic anti-ferromagnetic (SAF) structure which comprises (i) a first layer of one or more ferromagnetic materials, including cobalt, (ii) a multi-layer region including a plurality of layers of ferromagnetic materials, wherein the plurality of layers of ferromagnetic materials include a layer of one or more ferromagnetic materials including cobalt, and (iii) an anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer disposed between the first layer and the multi-layer region. The free magnetic region may include a circular shape, the one or more ferromagnetic materials of the first layer may include cobalt, iron and boron, and the dielectric layer may be disposed on the first layer.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive memory array including a plurality of magnetoresistive memory elements wherein each magnetoresistive memory element comprises a free layer including at least one ferromagnetic layer having perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, a fixed layer, and a tunnel barrier, disposed between and in contact with the free and fixed layers. The tunnel barrier includes a first metal-oxide layer, having a thickness between 1 and 10 Angstroms, a second metal-oxide layer, having a thickness between 3 and 6 Angstroms, disposed on the first metal-oxide layer, and a third metal-oxide layer, having a thickness between 3 and 6 Angstroms, disposed over the second metal-oxide layer. In one embodiment, the third metal-oxide layer is in contact with the free layer or fixed layer. The tunnel barrier may also include a fourth metal-oxide layer, having a thickness between 1 and 10 Angstroms, disposed between the second and third metal-oxide layers.

Abstract: A semiconductor process integrates three bridge circuits, each include magnetoresistive sensors coupled as a Wheatstone bridge on a single chip to sense a magnetic field in three orthogonal directions. The process includes various deposition and etch steps forming the magnetoresistive sensors and a plurality of flux guides on one of the three bridge circuits for transferring a “Z” axis magnetic field onto sensors orientated in the XY plane.

Abstract: A semiconductor process integrates three bridge circuits, each include magnetoresistive sensors coupled as a Wheatstone bridge on a single chip to sense a magnetic field in three orthogonal directions. The process includes various deposition and etch steps forming the magnetoresistive sensors and a plurality of flux guides on one of the three bridge circuits for transferring a “Z” axis magnetic field onto sensors orientated in the XY plane.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive memory element (e.g., a spin-torque magnetoresistive memory element) includes a fixed magnetic layer, a free magnetic layer having perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, and a first dielectric, disposed between the fixed magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer. A first surface of the first dielectric is in contact with a first surface of the free magnetic layer. The magnetoresistive memory element further includes a second dielectric, having a first surface that is in contact with a second surface of the free magnetic layer, a conductor, including electrically conductive material, and an electrode, disposed between the second dielectric and the conductor. The electrode includes: (i) a non-ferromagnetic portion having a surface that is in contact with a second surface of the second dielectric, and (ii) a second portion including at least one ferromagnetic material disposed between the non-ferromagnetic portion of the electrode and the conductor.