Spin orbit torque (SOT) memory devices with enhanced tunnel magnetoresistance ratio and their methods of fabrication

1. A perpendicular spin orbit torque (pSOT) device, comprising:

a first electrode layer comprising iridium and manganese;

a material layer stack adjacent to the first electrode layer, the material layer stack comprising:

a free magnet comprising:

a first free magnet layer of a first ferromagnetic composition;

a plurality of bilayers between the first free magnet layer and the first electrode layer, each bilayer comprising a magnetic material layer of a second ferromagnetic composition, and a non-magnetic material layer;

a second free magnet layer between the plurality of bilayers and the first free magnet layer; and

a non-magnetic spacer layer between the first free magnet layer and the second free magnet layer;

a fixed magnet; and

a tunnel barrier between the free magnet and the fixed magnet; and

a second electrode layer coupled with the fixed magnet.

2. The pSOT device of claim 1 , wherein free magnet has a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and wherein the first electrode layer and the free magnet have a magnetic exchange bias orthogonal to the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.

3. The pSOT device of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic exchange bias is in the range of 100-500 Oersted.

4. The pSOT device of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode layer has a face centered tetragonal crystal structure.

5. The pSOT device of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode layer has a thickness between 4 nm and 15 nm.

6. The pSOT device of claim 1 , further comprising one or more seed layers, wherein the first electrode layer is between the free magnet and the one or more seed layers.

7. The pSOT device of claim 6 , wherein the seed layers comprise a first seed layer comprising Ta, TaN or TiN, and a second seed layer on between the first seed layer and the first electrode layer, the second seed layer comprising Pt, Pd or Ir.

8. The pSOT device of claim 1 , wherein the first ferromagnetic composition comprises cobalt, boron, and iron.

9. The pSOT device of claim 8 , wherein the second free magnet layer has the second ferromagnetic composition wherein the plurality of bilayers comprises more than two bilayers.

10. The pSOT device of claim 1 , wherein the non-magnetic spacer layer is Ta, W, Mo, or an alloy comprising Ta, W or Mo.

11. The pSOT device of claim 1 , wherein the non-magnetic material layer in each of the plurality of bilayers comprises platinum, palladium or iridiunciand wherein the second ferromagnetic composition comprises cobalt or nickel.

12. The pSOT device of claim 1 , further comprising a synthetic anti-ferromagnet (SAF) structure between the fixed magnet and the second electrode layer.

13. The pSOT device of claim 12 , wherein the fixed magnet comprises cobalt, boron and iron the tunnel barrier comprises magnesium and oxygen, and the SAF comprises:

a plurality of second bilayers, each second bilayer comprising a magnetic material layer and a non-magnetic material layer;

a second non-magnetic spacer layer between the plurality of second bilayers and the fixed magnet;

a plurality of third bilayers, each third bilayer comprising a magnetic material layer and a non-magnetic material layer;

a third non-magnetic spacer layer between the plurality of third bilayers and the second electrode layer; and

a fourth non-magnetic spacer layer between the second plurality of bilayers and the third plurality of bilayers.

14. The pSOT device of claim 13 , wherein the first non-magnetic spacer layer is Ta, W, Mo, Ru or Jr or an alloy comprising Ta, W, Mo, Ru or Ir, wherein the second non-magnetic spacer layer is Ta, W, Mo, Ru or Jr or an alloy comprising Ta, W, Mo, Ru or Ir, wherein the third non-magnetic spacer layer comprises Ta, Ru, Pt, or Pd, and wherein the fourth non-magnetic spacer layer is Ta, W, Mo, Ru or Jr or an alloy comprising Ta, W, Mo, Ru or Ir.

15. A method of fabricating a perpendicular spin orbit torque (pSOT) device, the method comprising:

depositing a first electrode layer comprising iridium and manganese;

forming a material layer stack on the first electrode layer, the forming comprising:

depositing a plurality of bilayers over the first electrode layer, each bilayer comprising a magnetic material layer of a first ferromagnetic composition, and a non-magnetic material layer;

depositing a first free magnet layer over the plurality of bilayers;

depositing a non-magnetic spacer layer over the first free magnet layer;

depositing a second free magnet layer of a second ferromagnetic composition over the non-magnetic spacer layer;

depositing a tunnel barrier layer on over the second free magnet layer;

depositing a fixed magnetic layer over the tunnel barrier layer;

depositing a second electrode layer over the fixed magnetic layer; and

etching the material layer stack to form a memory device over a portion of the first electrode layer.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first electrode layer has a tetragonal phase.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first electrode layer is deposited to a thickness of between 4 nm-15 nm.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the method further includes performing an anneal at a temperature below a Neel temperature of the first electrode.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the anneal is performed in a presence of an external magnetic field.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a transistor above a substrate, the transistor comprising:

a drain contact coupled to a drain;

a source contact coupled to a source;

a gate contact coupled to a gate; and

the pSOT device of claim 1 coupled with the drain contact.