Abstract: A magnetoresistive effect element in one or more embodiments of the present invention is provided with a memory layer with a variable magnetization direction having a magnetic anisotropy in a direction perpendicular to a film surface, a reference layer with an invariable magnetization direction having the magnetic anisotropy in a direction perpendicular to the film surface, and a tunnel barrier layer formed between the memory layer and the reference layer. The tunnel barrier layer has a first portion at the central part in the film surface and a second portion at a peripheral part. The second portion contains at least boron and oxygen.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive element has a magnetic layer, an insulating layer and a magnetic layer, which are laminated on a base electrode, and side walls of the magnetic layers that are formed when the magnetic layers are processed. At least one element selected from the group of consisting He, C, N, O, F, Ne, Ti, V, Cu, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, Ar, Ge, As, Kr, Zr, In, Sn, Sb, Pb and Bi is injected into the side walls and edge portions of the magnetic layers to improve the magnetic characteristics of the first and second magnetic layers.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device comprises a memory cell array. The memory cell array has a plurality of magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) elements. Each of the MTJ elements has a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer and a non-magnetic layer therebetween, and a hard mask layer is arranged above the second magnetic layer. The plurality of MTJ elements have a first MTJ element having a first hard mask layer and a second MTJ element having a second hard mask layer, and a dimension of, the first hard mask layer is greater than that of the second hard mask layer.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic memory device includes a stacked structure including a magnetic element, a protective insulating film covering the stacked structure, and an interface layer provided at an interface between the stacked structure and the protective insulating film. The interface layer contains a predetermined element which is not contained in the magnetic element or the protective insulating film.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a tester includes a magnetic shield portion having a space which is shielded from an external magnetic field, a controller generating a test signal for testing a magnetic memory having a magnetoresistive element provided in the space, an interface portion in the space, the interface portion which functions as an interface between the controller and the magnetic memory, and a magnetic field generating portion in the space, the magnetic field generating portion generating a test magnetic field while the magnetic memory is tested by the test signal.

Abstract: A magnetic memory element includes a memory layer having magnetic anisotropy on the film surface thereof in the perpendicular direction and in which the magnetization direction is variable, a reference layer having magnetic anisotropy on the film surface thereof in the perpendicular direction and in which the magnetization direction is not variable, and a tunnel barrier layer which is interposed between the memory layer and the reference layer. The memory layer is made of an alloy including cobalt (Co) andiron (Fe). A plurality of oxygen atoms are present on both interfaces of the memory layer.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive effect element includes first and second conductive layers, a first magnetic layer between the first and second conductive layers having a magnetization direction that is unchangeable, a second magnetic layer between the first and second conductive layers having a magnetization direction that is changeable, a tunnel barrier layer between the first and second magnetic layers, a nonmagnetic layer between the second magnetic layer and the second conductive layer, and a conductive sidewall film that provides a current path between the second magnetic layer and the second conductive layer that has a lower resistance than a current path through the nonmagnetic layer.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetoresistive element is disclosed. The magnetoresistive element includes a reference layer. The reference layer includes a first region, and a second region provided outside the first region to surround the same. The second region contains an element contained in the first region and another element being different from the element. The magnetoresistive element further includes a storage layer, and a tunnel barrier layer provided between the reference layer and the storage layer. The storage layer is free from the another element.

Abstract: One embodiment provides a magnetic memory element, including: a first ferromagnetic layer whose magnetization is variable; a second ferromagnetic layer which has a first band split into a valence band and a conduction band and a second band being continuous at least from the valence band to the conduction band; and a nonmagnetic layer provided between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, an authentication device includes an acquiring unit, a predicting unit, and an authenticating unit. The acquiring unit is configured to acquire performance information of a first device that is a device to be authenticated. The predicting unit is configured to predict performance information of a second device that is a device being a reference for authentication according to a change with time from initial performance information. The authenticating unit is configured to perform an authentication process of determining whether or not the first device falls into the second device on a basis of a degree of agreement between the performance information acquired by the acquiring unit and the performance information predicted by the predicting unit.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive element according to an embodiment includes: a base layer; a first magnetic layer formed on the base layer and having a changeable magnetization direction with an easy axis of magnetization in a direction perpendicular to a film plane; a first nonmagnetic layer formed on the first magnetic layer; and a second magnetic layer formed on the first nonmagnetic layer and having a fixed magnetization layer with an easy axis of magnetization in a direction perpendicular to the film plane. The first magnetic layer includes a ferrimagnetic layer having a DO22 structure or an L10 structure, the ferrimagnetic layer has a c-axis oriented in a direction perpendicular to the film plane, and the magnetization direction of the first magnetic layer is changeable by a current flowing through the first magnetic layer, the first nonmagnetic layer, and the second magnetic layer.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetoresistive element comprises a first magnetic layer having a magnetization direction invariable and perpendicular to a film surface, a tunnel barrier layer formed on the first magnetic layer, and a second magnetic layer formed on the tunnel barrier layer and having a magnetization direction variable and perpendicular to the film surface. The first magnetic layer includes an interface layer formed on an upper side in contact with a lower portion of the tunnel barrier layer, and a main body layer formed on a lower side and serving as an origin of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The interface layer includes a first area provided on an inner side and having magnetization, and a second area provided on an outer side to surround the first area and having magnetization smaller than the magnetization of the first area or no magnetization.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetoresistive element comprises a first magnetic layer, in which a magnetization direction is variable and is perpendicular to a film surface, a tunnel barrier layer that is formed on the first magnetic layer, and a second magnetic layer that is formed on the tunnel barrier layer, a magnetization direction of the second magnetic layer being variable and being perpendicular to the film surface. The second magnetic layer comprises a body layer that constitutes an origin of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, and an interface layer that is formed between the body layer and the tunnel barrier layer. The interface layer has a permeability higher than that of the body layer and a planar size larger than that of the body layer.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive effect element includes first and second conductive layers, a first magnetic layer between the first and second conductive layers having a magnetization direction that is unchangeable, a second magnetic layer between the first and second conductive layers having a magnetization direction that is changeable, a tunnel barrier layer between the first and second magnetic layers, a nonmagnetic layer between the second magnetic layer and the second conductive layer, and a conductive sidewall film that provides a current path between the second magnetic layer and the second conductive layer that has a lower resistance than a current path through the nonmagnetic layer.

Abstract: A magnetic memory element includes a memory layer having magnetic anisotropy on the film surface thereof in the perpendicular direction and in which the magnetization direction is variable, a reference layer having magnetic anisotropy on the film surface thereof in the perpendicular direction and in which the magnetization direction is not variable, and a tunnel barrier layer which is interposed between the memory layer and the reference layer. The memory layer is made of an alloy including cobalt (Co) andiron (Fe). A plurality of oxygen atoms are present on both interfaces of the memory layer.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetoresistive element includes a storage layer having a variable and perpendicular magnetization, a tunnel barrier layer on the storage layer, a reference layer having an invariable and perpendicular magnetization on the tunnel barrier layer, a hard mask layer on the reference layer, and a sidewall spacer layer on sidewalls of the reference layer and the hard mask layer. An in-plane size of the reference layer is smaller than an in-plane size of the storage layer. A difference between the in-plane sizes of the storage layer and the reference layer is 2 nm or less. The sidewall spacer layer includes a material selected from a group of a diamond, DLC, BN, SiC, B4C, Al2O3 and AlN.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive element includes a stabilization layer, a nonmagnetic layer, a spin-polarization layer provided between the stabilization layer and the nonmagnetic layer, the spin-polarization layer having magnetic anisotropy in a perpendicular direction, and a magnetic layer provided on a side of the nonmagnetic layer opposite to a side on which the spin-polarization layer is provided. The stabilization layer has a lattice constant smaller than that of the spin-polarization layer in an in-plane direction. The spin-polarization layer contains at least one element selected from a group consisting of cobalt (Co) and iron (Fe), has a body-centered tetragonal (BCT) structure, and has a lattice constant ratio c/a of 1.10 (inclusive) to 1.35 (inclusive) when a perpendicular direction is a c-axis and an in-plane direction is an a-axis.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive effect element in one or more embodiments of the present invention is provided with a memory layer with a variable magnetization direction having a magnetic anisotropy in a direction perpendicular to a film surface, a reference layer with an invariable magnetization direction having the magnetic anisotropy in a direction perpendicular to the film surface, and a tunnel barrier layer formed between the memory layer and the reference layer. The tunnel barrier layer has a first portion at the central part in the film surface and a second portion at a peripheral part. The second portion contains at least boron and oxygen.

Abstract: A magneto-resistive element has a memory layer, which has magnetic anisotropy along a direction perpendicular to its surface and variable magnetization directions, a reference layer, which has magnetic anisotropy along a direction perpendicular to its surface and a fixed magnetization direction, and a tunnel barrier layer, which is formed between the memory layer and the reference layer. The memory layer is composed of Co1-xFexB, where 0.4?x<0.6 and the thickness is 0.7 nm or more but less than 1.0 nm; or where 0.6?x<0.8 and the thickness is 0.7 nm or more but less than 1.1 nm; or where 0.8?x<1.0 and the thickness is 0.9 nm or more but less than 1.2 nm.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic memory element includes a memory layer, a first nonmagnetic layer, a reference layer, a second nonmagnetic layer, and an adjustment layer which are stacked. The adjustment layer is configured to reduce a leakage magnetic field from the reference layer. The adjustment layer is formed by stacking an interface layer provided on the second nonmagnetic layer, and a magnetic layer having magnetic anisotropy perpendicular to a film surface. Saturation magnetization of the interface layer is larger than that of the magnetic layer.