Magnetic element with thermally-assisted writing

1. A magnetic element with thermally-assisted writing using a field or spin transfer, each comprising:

a magnetic reference layer referred to as the “trapped layer”, the magnetization of which is in a fixed direction;

a magnetic storage layer called the “free layer” having a variable magnetization direction and consisting of a layer made of a ferromagnetic material with magnetization in the plane of the layer and magnetically coupled to a magnetization-trapping layer made of an antiferromagnetic material; and

a semiconductor or an insulating layer with confined-current-paths sandwiched between the reference layer and the storage layer;

wherein at least one bilayer consisting respectively of an amorphous or quasi-amorphous material and a material having the same structure or the same crystal lattice as the antiferromagnetic layer is present in the storage layer between the ferromagnetic layer, which is in contact with the semiconductor or insulating layer with confined-current-paths, and the antiferromagnetic layer.

2. A magnetic element with thermally-assisted writing using a field or spin transfer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the at least one layer made of an amorphous or quasi-amorphous material is 0.15 to 2 nm.

3. A magnetic element with thermally-assisted writing using a field or spin transfer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the amorphous or quasi-amorphous material is selected from the group comprising tantalum (Ta), ruthenium (Ru), silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ), tantalum oxide (TaO), aluminium oxides (AlO x ), zirconium oxides (ZrO x ), titanium oxides (TiO x ), hafnium oxides (HfO x ), tantalum nitride (TaN), titanium nitride (TiN), transition metals Co, Fe or Ni with added boron, zirconium, niobium or hafnium with the total proportion of added elements being 5 to 30% by atomic weight or an alloy of these compounds.

4. A magnetic element with thermally-assisted writing using a field or spin transfer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the layer of amorphous or quasi-amorphous material is deposited by magnetron sputtering or any other physical vapor deposition (PVD) process.

5. A magnetic element with thermally-assisted writing using a field or spin transfer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the amorphous or quasi-amorphous material consists of a heterogeneous metal oxide.

6. A magnetic element with thermally-assisted writing using a field or spin transfer as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the heterogeneous metal oxide has a general formula M y (NO x ) 1-y , wherein

M is a transition metal selected from the group comprising nickel, cobalt and iron or a noble metal or an alloy of noble metals such as copper, silver or gold,

NO x is an amorphous or quasi-amorphous oxide of an element N selected from the group comprising Si, Ti, Hf, Ta, Mg or a mixture of these oxides, and

y is 0.1 to 10%.

7. A magnetic element with thermally-assisted writing using a field or spin transfer as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the heterogeneous metal oxide has a general formula (Al 1-x Cu x ), when x varies from 0.1 to 10%.

8. A magnetic element with thermally-assisted writing using a field or spin transfer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the antiferromagnetic layers which, respectively trap reference layer and storage layer, are based on a manganese alloy, for the reference layer and IrMn or FeMn for the storage layer.

9. A magnetic memory with thermally-assisted writing, each storage cell of which consists of a magnetic element as claimed in claim 1 .

10. A logic element with thermally-assisted writing consisting of a magnetic element as claimed in claim 1 .

11. The magnetic element with thermally-assisted writing using a field or spin transfer as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the manganese alloy is PtMn.