Tunable templating layers for perpendicularly magnetized Heusler films

1. A device, comprising:

a templating structure including D and E, a ratio of D to E being represented by D 1-x E x , with x being at least 0.4 and not more than 0.6, E including a main constituent, the main constituent including at least one of Al, Ga, and Ge, E including at least fifty atomic percent of the main constituent, D including at least one constituent that includes Ir, D including at least 50 atomic percent of the at least one constituent, the templating structure being nonmagnetic at room temperature; and

a magnetic layer on the templating structure, the magnetic layer including at least one of a Heusler compound and an L1 0 compound, the magnetic layer being in contact with the templating structure.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the templating structure includes alternating layers of D and E.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein x is at least 0.47 and not more than 0.54.

4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the templating structure has a thickness of at least thirty Angstroms and not more than six hundred Angstroms such that the templating structure has a lattice constant of at least 2.8 Angstroms and not more than 3.05 Angstroms.

5. The device of claim 2 , wherein the magnetic layer has a thickness of not more than five nanometers.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the magnetic layer has a thickness of not more than one unit cell.

7. The device of claim 2 , wherein the magnetic layer includes at least one of Mn 3.1-y Ge, Mn 3.1-y Sn, Mn 3.1-y Sb, Mn 3.1-s Co 1.1-t Sn, a MnGa alloy, a MnAl alloy, an FeAl alloy, a MnGe alloy, a MnSb alloy, and a MnSn alloy, with y being at least 0 and not more than 1.1, and with s being greater than zero and not more than 1.2 and t being greater than zero and not more than 1.0.

8. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:

an additional magnetic layer; and

a tunneling barrier layer between the additional magnetic layer the magnetic layer.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic layer is magnetic as-deposited at room temperature.

10. A device, comprising:

a templating structure including D and E, a ratio of D to E being represented by D 1-x E x , with x being at least 0.4 and not more than 0.6, E including a main constituent, the main constituent including at least one of Al, Ga, and Ge, E including at least fifty atomic percent of is the main constituent, D including at least one constituent that includes Ir, D including at least 50 atomic percent of the at least one constituent, the templating structure being nonmagnetic at room temperature, the templating structure having a thickness of at least thirty Angstroms and not more than six hundred Angstroms such that the templating structure has a lattice constant of at least 2.8 Angstroms and not more than 3.05 Angstroms; and

a magnetic layer on the templating structure, the magnetic layer including at least one of a Heusler compound and an L1 0 compound, the magnetic layer being in contact with the templating structure and being magnetic as-deposited at room temperature.

11. A method, comprising:

providing a templating structure including D and E, a ratio of D to E being represented by D 1-x E x , with x being at least 0.4 and not more than 0.6, E including a main constituent, the main constituent including at least one of Al, Ga, and Ge, E including at least fifty atomic percent of the main constituent, D including at least one constituent that includes Ir, D including at least 50 atomic percent of the at least one constituent, the templating structure being nonmagnetic at room temperature; and

providing a magnetic layer on the templating structure, the magnetic layer including at least one of a Heusler compound and an L1 0 compound, the magnetic layer being in contact with the templating structure.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein providing the templating structure includes:

depositing alternating layers of D and E.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein x is at least 0.47 and not more than 0.54.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

selecting a target lattice constant of the magnetic layer; and wherein the providing the templating structure further includes

depositing the templating structure to a thickness of at least thirty Angstroms and not more than six hundred Angstroms such that the templating structure has a lattice constant of at is least 2.8 Angstroms and not more than 3.05 Angstroms, the lattice constant corresponding to the target lattice constant.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the magnetic layer has a thickness of not more than five nanometers.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the magnetic layer has a thickness of not more than one unit cell.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the magnetic layer includes at least one of Mn 3.1-y Ge, Mn 3.1-y Sn, Mn 3.1-y Sb, Mn 3.1-s Co 1.1-t Sn, a MnGa alloy, a MnAl alloy, an FeAl alloy, a MnGe alloy, a MnSb alloy, and a MnSn alloy, with y being at least 0 and not more than 1.1, and with s being greater than zero and not more than 1.2 and t being greater than zero and not more than 1.0.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

providing an additional magnetic layer; and

providing a tunneling barrier layer between the additional magnetic layer the magnetic layer.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein providing the magnetic layer further includes:

depositing the magnetic layer at room temperature.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the providing the templating structure further includes:

annealing the templating structure at an anneal temperature of at least two hundred degrees Celsius.