Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy Interface Tunnel Junction Devices

Abstract

A Magnetic Tunnel Junction (MT) device can include a free magnetic layer having a predetermined smoothness. An etching process for smoothing the free magnetic layer can be performed in-situ with various deposition processes after a high temperature annealing of the MTJ formation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A Magnetic Funnel Junction (MTJ) device comprising:
 a Synthetic Antiferromagnetic (SAF) formation disposed on a substrate;   a MTJ formation disposed on the SAF formation, wherein a free magnetic layer of the MTJ formation has a smoothness of approximately 0.2 nm;   a first capping layer disposed on the MTJ formation, wherein the first capping layer includes Ruthenium (Ru) and has a thickness of approximately 2-3 nanometers (nm);   a second capping layer disposed on the first capping layer, wherein the second capping includes Tantalum (Ta) and has a thickness of approximately 3-10 nm.   
     
     
         2 . The MTJ device of  claim 1 , wherein the MT J formation comprises:
 a reference magnetic layer disposed on the SAF formation, wherein the reference magnetic layer includes one or more of Cobalt (Co), Iron (Fe) and Boron (B), Cobalt Nickel (CoNi), Cobalt Platinum (CoPt), and has a thickness of approximately 1-5 nm;   a non-magnetic tunneling barrier layer disposed on the reference magnetic layer, wherein the non-magnetic tunneling barrier layer includes Magnesium (Mg) oxide and has a thickness of approximately 1-10 nm; and   the free magnetic layer disposed on the non-magnetic tunneling barrier layer, wherein the free magnetic layer includes one or more of Cobalt (Co), Iron (Fe) and Boron (B) and has a thickness of approximately 1-3 nm.   
     
     
         3 . The MTJ device of  claim 1 , wherein the SAF formation comprises:
 a first ferromagnetic layer disposed on the substrate, wherein the first ferromagnetic layer includes one or more of Cobalt (Co), Cobalt Nickel (CoNi) and Cobalt Platinum (CoPt)) and has a thickness of approximately 1-5 nm; and   a first non-magnetic layer disposed on the first ferromagnetic layer, wherein the first non-magnetic layer includes Ruthenium (Ru) and has a thickness of approximately 0.9 nm.   
     
     
         4 . The MTJ device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy (PMA) enhancement layer disposed between the MTJ formation and the first capping layer, wherein the PMA enhancement layer includes one or more of Cobalt (Co), Iron (Fe), Boron (B) and/or Tantalum Nitride (TaN) and has a thickness of approximately 0.5-2 nm.   
     
     
         5 . The MTJ device of  claim 4 , wherein the PMA enhancement layer is configured to control perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and magnetization of the free magnetic layer. 
     
     
         6 . The MTJ device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more seed layers disposed between the substrate and the SAF formation.   
     
     
         7 . The MTJ device of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more seed layers include one or more layers of Tantalum (Ta), Tantalum Nitride (TaN), Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), Copper Nitride (CuN), Nickel (Ni), Iron (Fe), Platinum (Pt), Cobalt (Co) or alloys thereof with a thickness of approximately 1-20 nanometers (nm). 
     
     
         8 . The MTJ device of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more seed layers are configured to initiate a predetermined crystalline structure in the SAF formation. 
     
     
         9 . The MTJ device of  claim 1 , wherein the smoothness of MTJ formation is configured to improve the one or more capping layers. 
     
     
         10 . The MTJ device of  claim 1 , wherein the MTJ device comprises a Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory (MRAM). 
     
     
         11 . A Magnetic Tunnel Junction (MTJ) device comprising:
 a MTJ formation having a smoothness of approximately 0.2 nm;   a Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy (PMA) enhancement layer disposed on the MTJ formation; and   one or more capping layers disposed on the PMA enhancement layer, wherein the one or more capping layers include one or more of Ruthenium ( Ru) and Tantalum (Ta).   
     
     
         12 . The MTJ device of  claim 11 , wherein the MTJ formation comprises;
 a reference magnetic layer disposed on the SAF formation, wherein the reference magnetic layer includes one or more of Cobalt (Co), Iron (Fe) and Boron (B), Cobalt Nickel (CoNi), Cobalt Platinum (CoPt);   a non-magnetic tunneling barrier layer disposed on the reference magnetic layer, wherein the non-magnetic tunneling barrier layer includes Magnesium (Mg) oxide; and   a free magnetic layer disposed on the non-magnetic tunneling barrier layer, wherein the free magnetic layer includes one or more of Cobalt (Co), Iron (Fe) and Boron (B).   
     
     
         13 . The MTJ device of  claim 12 , wherein the PMA enhancement layer includes one or more of Cobalt (Co), Iron (Fe), Boron (B) and/or Tantalum Nitride (TaN). 
     
     
         14 . The MTJ device of  claim 13 , wherein the PMA enhancement layer is configured to control perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and magnetization of the free magnetic layer. 
     
     
         15 . The MTJ device of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a Synthetic Antiferromagnetic (SAF) formation upon which the MTJ formation is disposed.   
     
     
         16 . The MTJ device of  claim 15 , wherein the SAF formation includes:
 a first ferromagnetic layer disposed on a substrate, wherein the first ferromagnetic layer includes one or more of Cobalt (Co), Cobalt Nickel (CoNi) and Cobalt Platinum (CoPt);   a first non-magnetic layer disposed on the first ferromagnetic layer, wherein the first non-magnetic layer includes Ruthenium (Ru); and   a free magnetic layer disposed on the non-magnetic tunneling barrier layer, wherein the free magnetic layer includes one or more of Cobalt (Co), Iron (Fe) and Boron (B).   
     
     
         17 . The MTJ device of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more capping layers include:
 a first capping layer disposed on the MTJ formation, wherein the first capping layer includes Ruthenium (Ru); and   a second capping layer disposed on the first capping layer, wherein the second capping includes Tantalum (Ta).   
     
     
         18 . The MT J device of  claim 11 , wherein the smoothness of MTJ formation is configured to improve the one or more capping layers.