Abstract: A memory device includes a magnetoresistive memory cell which contains a first terminal electrode, a second terminal electrode, and a double magnetic tunnel junction located between the first terminal electrode and the second terminal electrode. The double magnetic tunnel junction includes, from bottom to top, a bottom synthetic antiferromagnet (SAF) structure including a barrier-contacting bottom ferromagnetic layer, a first tunneling barrier layer, a common free layer, a second tunneling barrier layer, and a top SAF structure including a barrier-contacting top ferromagnetic layer in antiparallel alignment with the barrier-contacting bottom ferromagnetic layer. The bottom SAF structure is different from the top SAF structure.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive memory cell includes a magnetic polarizer layer having a hard magnetization along a hard magnetization direction, a first magnetic tunnel junction located on a first side of the magnetic polarizer layer and including a first reference layer having a first side facing the magnetic polarizer layer, a first free layer facing a second side of the first reference layer, and a first tunnel barrier layer located between the first free layer and the first reference layer. The memory cell also includes a second magnetic tunnel junction located on a second side of the magnetic polarizer layer and including a second reference layer having a second side facing the magnetic polarizer layer, a second free layer facing a first side of the second reference layer, and a second tunnel barrier layer located between the second free layer and the second reference layer.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive memory cell includes a magnetic polarizer layer having a hard magnetization along a hard magnetization direction, a first magnetic tunnel junction located on a first side of the magnetic polarizer layer and including a first reference layer having a first side facing the magnetic polarizer layer, a first free layer facing a second side of the first reference layer, and a first tunnel barrier layer located between the first free layer and the first reference layer. The memory cell also includes a second magnetic tunnel junction located on a second side of the magnetic polarizer layer and including a second reference layer having a second side facing the magnetic polarizer layer, a second free layer facing a first side of the second reference layer, and a second tunnel barrier layer located between the second free layer and the second reference layer.

Abstract: A tunneling barrier resistor includes a first electrode layer containing a first nonmagnetic iron-group-containing alloy layer which includes a first refractory metal, a second electrode layer containing a second nonmagnetic iron-group-containing alloy layer which includes a second refractory metal, and a first tunneling barrier dielectric layer located between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.

Abstract: A spin transfer torque (STT) magnetoresistive memory cell includes a magnetic tunnel junction including a reference layer, a free layer, and a nonmagnetic tunnel barrier located between the reference layer and the free layer, and perpendicular exchange bias layer in contact with the free layer.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive memory cell includes a first electrode; a second electrode; and a layer stack located between the first electrode and the second electrode and comprising, from one end to another, a first reference layer, a first tunnel barrier layer, a free layer, a second tunnel barrier layer, and a second reference layer. A first one of the first reference layer and the second reference layer comprises a positive spin polarization material. A second one of the first reference layer and the second reference layer comprises a negative spin polarization material. A magnetization direction of the second reference layer is parallel to a magnetization direction of the first reference layer.

Abstract: A memory device includes a first electrode, a second electrode that is spaced from the first electrode, a fixed vertical magnetization structure configured to generate a fixed vertical magnetic field and located between the first electrode and the second electrode, at least one layer stack located between the fixed magnetization structure and the second electrode and containing respective spacer dielectric layer and a respective additional reference layer including a respective ferromagnetic material having perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, and a magnetic tunnel junction located between the at least one layer stack and the second electrode, the magnetic tunnel junction containing a reference layer, a free layer, and a nonmagnetic tunnel barrier layer located between the reference layer and the free layer, and the reference layer being more proximal to the at least one layer stack than the free layer is to the at least one layer stack.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor comprising a first shield and a second shield and a sensor stack between the first and the second shield, the sensor stack having a plurality of layers wherein at least one layer is annealed using in-situ rapid thermal annealing. In one implementation of the magnetic sensor a seed layer is annealed using in-situ rapid thermal annealing. Alternatively, one of a barrier layer, an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer, and a cap layer is annealed using in-situ rapid thermal annealing.

Abstract: A magnetic memory device contains a synthetic antiferromagnetic (SAF) structure that includes an antiferromagnetically coupled stack and a reference layer. The antiferromagnetically coupled stack contains plural multilayer stacks. Each multilayer stack contains at least one ferromagnetic material layer, a non-magnetic layer and a non-magnetic SAF spacer layer having a different composition than the non-magnetic layer.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor comprising a first shield and a second shield and a sensor stack between the first and the second shield, the sensor stack having a plurality of layers wherein at least one layer is annealed using in-situ rapid thermal annealing. In one implementation of the magnetic sensor a seed layer is annealed using in-situ rapid thermal annealing. Alternatively, one of a barrier layer, an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer, and a cap layer is annealed using in-situ rapid thermal annealing.

Abstract: A memory device includes a first electrode, a second electrode that is spaced from the first electrode, a fixed vertical magnetization structure configured to generate a fixed vertical magnetic field and located between the first electrode and the second electrode, at least one layer stack located between the fixed magnetization structure and the second electrode and containing respective spacer dielectric layer and a respective additional reference layer including a respective ferromagnetic material having perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, and a magnetic tunnel junction located between the at least one layer stack and the second electrode, the magnetic tunnel junction containing a reference layer, a free layer, and a nonmagnetic tunnel barrier layer located between the reference layer and the free layer, and the reference layer being more proximal to the at least one layer stack than the free layer is to the at least one layer stack.

Abstract: A magnetic memory device contains a synthetic antiferromagnetic (SAF) structure that includes an antiferromagnetically coupled stack and a reference layer. The antiferromagnetically coupled stack contains plural multilayer stacks. Each multilayer stack contains at least one ferromagnetic material layer, a non-magnetic layer and a non-magnetic SAF spacer layer having a different composition than the non-magnetic layer.

Abstract: A read sensor that includes a free layer having a magnetization that changes according to an external magnetic field. The read sensor also includes an additional magnetic layer and a non-magnetic layer. The non-magnetic layer may include a corrugated surface facing the additional magnetic layer. The corrugated surface is configured to enhance uniaxial anisotropy in the read sensor.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor comprising a first shield and a second shield and a sensor stack between the first and the second shield, the sensor stack having a plurality of layers wherein at least one layer is annealed using in-situ rapid thermal annealing. In one implementation of the magnetic sensor a seed layer is annealed using in-situ rapid thermal annealing. Alternatively, one of a barrier layer, an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer, and a cap layer is annealed using in-situ rapid thermal annealing.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor comprising a first shield and a second shield and a sensor stack between the first and the second shield, the sensor stack having a plurality of layers wherein at least one layer is annealed using in-situ rapid thermal annealing. In one implementation of the magnetic sensor a seed layer is annealed using in-situ rapid thermal annealing. Alternatively, one of a barrier layer, an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer, and a cap layer is annealed using in-situ rapid thermal annealing.

Abstract: A lateral spin valve reader and fabrication method thereof. The method includes forming an injector, a detector and a common channel layer that extends from the injector to the detector. The method also includes forming a first channel layer between the common channel layer and at least one of the injector or the detector with the first channel layer in contact with the common channel layer, thereby providing an interface between the first channel layer and the common channel layer.

Abstract: A read sensor that includes a free layer having a magnetization that changes according to an external magnetic field. The read sensor also includes an additional magnetic layer and a non-magnetic layer. The non-magnetic layer may include a corrugated surface facing the additional magnetic layer. The corrugated surface is configured to enhance uniaxial anisotropy in the read sensor.

Abstract: A reader includes a bearing surface, a sensor stack and a bottom shield below the sensor stack. The bottom shield has a synthetic antiferromagnetic (SAF) structure that includes a first magnetic layer that has a first width at the bearing surface and a second magnetic layer that has a second width at the bearing surface. The second width is less than the first width. The second magnetic layer has a magnetic orientation with at least a component that is substantially orthogonal to the bearing surface.

Abstract: A read sensor that includes a free layer having a magnetization that changes according to an external magnetic field. The read sensor also includes an additional magnetic layer and a non-magnetic layer. The non-magnetic layer may include a corrugated surface facing the additional magnetic layer. The corrugated surface is configured to enhance uniaxial anisotropy in the read sensor.

Abstract: A read sensor that includes a free layer having a magnetization that changes according to an external magnetic field. The read sensor also includes an additional magnetic layer and a non-magnetic layer. The non-magnetic layer may include a corrugated surface facing the additional magnetic layer. The corrugated surface is configured to enhance uniaxial anisotropy in the read sensor.