This invention enables a perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction (pMTJ) device that exhibits high thermal stability when exposed to temperatures greater than 400° C. and even greater than 500° C. for an hour (and sometimes longer). This invention is available for a non-exclusive license and has an issued US Patent 10,431,733. Background: Magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structures with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) are promising candidates for ultra-low energy memory and logic devices such as spin-transfer torque magnetic random access memories (STT-MRAM). However, for practical applications, especially for MRAM smaller than 10 nm, a large tunneling magneto-resistance (TMR) in the range of several hundred percent and a strong PMA energy greater than 4 erg/cm2 are required for pMTJs. A high thermal budget over 400° C. for more than 1 hour is also required for compatibility with back end of line (BEOL) processes of CMOS technology. This has led to a search for solutions exhibiting greater thermal stability. Applications:
Advantages:
Status: issued U.S. Patent #10,431,733