Doped BiSb (012) or undoped BiSb (001) topological insulator with GeNiFe buffer layer and/or interlayer for SOT based sensor, memory, and storage devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12106791-B2
Application number	US-202217854785-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2022
Priority date	Jun 30, 2022
Publication date	Oct 1, 2024
Grant date	Oct 1, 2024

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to spin-orbit torque (SOT) devices comprising a bismuth antimony (BiSb) layer. The SOT devices further comprise one or more Ge X NiFe layers, where at least one Ge X NiFe layer is disposed in contact with the BiSb layer. The Ge X NiFe layer has a thickness less than or equal to about 15 Å when used as an interlayer on top of the BiSb layer or less than or equal to 40 Å when used as a buffer layer underneath the BiSb. When the BiSb layer is doped with a dopant comprising a gas, a metal, a non-metal, or a ceramic material, the Ge X NiFe layer promotes the BiSb layer to have a (012) orientation. When the BiSb layer is undoped, the Ge X NiFe layer promotes the BiSb layer to have a (001) orientation. Utilizing the Ge X NiFe layer allows the crystal orientation of the BiSb layer to be selected.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A spin-orbit torque (SOT) device, comprising:
a first Germanium Nickel Iron (Ge X NiFe) comprising layer, where x is numeral between 44 and 90, the first Ge X NiFe comprising layer having a thickness less than or equal to about 40 Å; and
a bismuth antimony (BiSb) layer disposed over the first Ge X NiFe comprising layer, wherein:
the BiSb layer is doped and has a (012) crystal orientation, or
the BiSb layer is undoped and has a (001) crystal orientation.

2. The SOT device of claim 1 , wherein the first Ge X NiFe comprising layer is an interlayer having a thickness equal to or less than about 15 Å.

3. The SOT device of claim 1 , wherein the first Ge X NiFe comprising layer is disposed in contact with the BiSb layer.

4. The SOT device of claim 1 , further comprising a second Ge X NiFe comprising layer disposed over the BiSb layer.

5. The SOT device of claim 1 , wherein the BiSb layer is doped, and a dopant for the doped BiSb layer comprises a gas, a metal, a non-metal, or a ceramic material.

6. The SOT device of claim 1 , wherein the BiSb layer is doped, and only a first portion of the BiSb layer deposited is doped.

7. A magnetic recording head comprising the SOT device of claim 1 .

8. A magnetic recording device comprising the magnetic recording head of claim 7 .

9. A magneto-resistive memory comprising the SOT device of claim 1 .

10. A magnetic sensor comprising the SOT device of claim 1 .

11. A spin-orbit torque (SOT) device, comprising:
a buffer layer comprising Germanium Nickel Iron (Ge X NiFe), the buffer layer having a thickness less than or equal to about 40 Å;
a bismuth antimony (BiSb) layer disposed over the buffer layer, wherein:
the BiSb layer is doped and has a (012) crystal orientation, or
the BiSb layer is undoped and has a (001) crystal orientation; and

one or more magnetic layers.

12. The SOT device of claim 11 , wherein the BiSb layer has a thickness greater than the thickness of the buffer layer.

13. The SOT device of claim 11 , further comprising an interlayer disposed over the BiSb layer, the interlayer comprising Ge X NiFe, wherein the interlayer has a thickness less than or equal to about 15 Å.

14. The SOT device of claim 11 , wherein the buffer layer comprises a first sublayer of Ge X NiFe, where x is numeral between 44 and 90, and a second sublayer of NiFe, wherein the first sublayer of Ge X NiFe is disposed in contact with the BiSb layer, and wherein the second sublayer has a thickness less than the first sublayer.

15. A magnetic recording head comprising the SOT device of claim 11 .

16. A magnetic recording device comprising the magnetic recording head of claim 15 .

17. A magneto-resistive memory comprising the SOT device of claim 11 .

18. A magnetic sensor comprising the SOT device of claim 11 .

19. A spin-orbit torque (SOT) device, comprising:
a buffer layer;
a BiSb layer disposed on the buffer layer, wherein the BiSb layer is doped and has a (012) crystal orientation, or the BiSb layer is undoped and has a (001) crystal orientation;
an interlayer disposed on the BiSb layer, wherein at least one of the buffer layer and the interlayer comprises Germanium Nickel Iron (Ge X NiFe), where x is numeral between 44 and 90;
a first barrier layer disposed on the interlayer;
a ferromagnetic layer disposed on the first barrier layer;
a second barrier layer disposed on the ferromagnetic layer; and
a cap layer disposed on the second barrier layer.

20. The SOT device of claim 19 , wherein the interlayer comprises Ge X NiFe, the interlayer having a thickness less than or equal to about 15 Å.

21. The SOT device of claim 19 , wherein the buffer layer comprises Ge X NiFe, the buffer layer having a thickness less than or equal to about 40 Å.

22. The SOT device of claim 19 , wherein the interlayer and the buffer layer each individually comprise Ge X NiFe, and wherein the interlayer and the buffer layer each individually have a smaller thickness than the BiSb layer.

23. A magnetic recording head comprising the SOT device of claim 19 .

24. A magnetic recording device comprising the magnetic recording head of claim 23 .

25. A magneto-resistive memory comprising the SOT device of claim 19 .

26. A magnetic sensor comprising the SOT device of claim 19 .

27. A spin-orbit torque (SOT) device, comprising:
a seed layer;
a first barrier layer disposed on the seed layer;
a ferromagnetic layer disposed on the first barrier layer;
a second barrier layer disposed on the ferromagnetic layer;
an interlayer disposed on the second barrier layer;
a BiSb layer disposed on the interlayer, wherein the BiSb layer is doped and has a (012) crystal orientation, or the BiSb layer is undoped and has a (001) crystal orientation; and
a buffer layer disposed on the BiSb layer, wherein at least one of the seed layer, the interlayer, and the buffer layer comprises Germanium Nickel Iron (Ge X NiFe), where x is numeral between 44 and 90.

28. The SOT device of claim 27 , wherein the interlayer has a thickness less than or equal to about 15 Å, wherein the buffer layer has a thickness less than or equal to about 40 Å, and wherein the BiSb layer has a thickness greater than the thickness of the buffer layer.

29. The SOT device of claim 27 , wherein at least one of the buffer layer and the interlayer comprises Ge X NiFe.

30. The SOT device of claim 27 , wherein the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer each individually comprise a high polarization material selected from the group consisting of NiTaN, NiFeTaN, NiWN, NiFeWN, TaN, CrMON, NiCrN, and MgO.

31. A magnetic recording head comprising the SOT device of claim 27 .

32. A magnetic recording device comprising the magnetic recording head of claim 31 .

33. A magneto-resistive memory comprising the SOT device of claim 27 .

34. A magnetic sensor comprising the SOT device of claim 27 .

Assignees

• Western Digital Tech Inc

Inventors

• Le Quang
• York Brian R
• Hwang Cherngye
• Liu Xiaoyong
• Gribelyuk Michael A
• Xu Xiaoyu
• Okamura Susumu
• Ho Kuok San
• Takano Hisashi
• Simmons Randy G

Classifications

• H10N52/80

  Constructional details · CPC title

• H10N52/00

  Hall-effect devices (integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10N59/00) · CPC title

• H10N50/85

  Materials of the active region · CPC title

• H10N50/10

  Magnetoresistive devices · CPC title

• H10B61/00

  Magnetic memory devices, e.g. magnetoresistive RAM [MRAM] devices · CPC title