Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Hideaki Fukuzawa

Yu-Jen Wang

Ru-Ying Tong

Vignesh Sundar

A perpendicularly magnetized magnetic tunnel junction (p-MTJ) is disclosed wherein a free layer (FL) has a first interface with a MgO tunnel barrier, a second interface with a Mo or W Hk enhancing layer, and is comprised of FeCoBwherein x is 66-80, y is 5-9, z is 15-28, and (x+y+z)=100 to simultaneously provide a magnetoresistive ratio >100%, resistance x area product <5 ohm/□m, switching voltage <0.15V (direct current), and sufficient Hk to ensure thermal stability to 400° C. annealing. The FL may further comprise one or more M elements such as O or N to give (FeCoB)Mwhere w is >90 atomic %. Alternatively, the FL is a trilayer with a FeB layer contacting MgO to induce Hk at the first interface, a middle FeCoB layer for enhanced magnetoresistive ratio, and a Fe or FeB layer adjoining the Hk enhancing layer to increase thermal stability.

Free layer structure in magnetic random access memory (MRAM) for Mo or W perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) enhancing layer

A perpendicularly magnetized magnetic tunnel junction (p-MTJ) is disclosed wherein a free layer (FL) has a first interface with a MgO tunnel barrier, a second interface with a Mo or W Hk enhancing layer, and is comprised of FeCoBwherein x is 66-80, y is 5-9, z is 15-28, and (x+y+z)=100 to simultaneously provide a magnetoresistive ratio &#x3e;100%, resistance x area product &#x3c;5 ohm/&#x25a1;m, switching voltage &#x3c;0.15 V (direct current), and sufficient Hk to ensure thermal stability to 400&#xb0; C. annealing. The FL may further comprise one or more M elements such as O or N to give (FeCoB)Mwhere w is &#x3e;90 atomic %. Alternatively, the FL is a trilayer with a FeB layer contacting MgO to induce Hk at the first interface, a middle FeCoB layer for enhanced magnetoresistive ratio, and a Fe or FeB layer adjoining the Hk enhancing layer to increase thermal stability.

A perpendicularly magnetized magnetic tunnel junction (p-MTJ) is disclosed wherein a free layer (FL) has a first interface with a MgO tunnel barrier, a second interface with a Mo or W Hk enhancing layer, and is comprised of FeCoBwherein x is 66-80, y is 5-9, z is 15-28, and (x+y+z)=100 to simultaneously provide a magnetoresistive ratio &#x3e;100%, resistance x area product &#x3c;5 ohm/&#x3bc;m, switching voltage &#x3c;0.15V (direct current), and sufficient Hk to ensure thermal stability to 400&#xb0; C. annealing. The FL may further comprise one or more M elements such as O or N to give (FeCoB)Mwhere w is &#x3e;90 atomic %. Alternatively, the FL is a trilayer with a FeB layer contacting MgO to induce Hk at the first interface, a middle FeCoB layer for enhanced magnetoresistive ratio, and a Fe or FeB layer adjoining the Hk enhancing layer to increase thermal stability.

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Santa Clara, CA, United States of America

Hideaki Fukuzawa