Buffer Layers to Grow BiSb and YPtBi to Match the Crystal Symmetry of Interlayers and Ferromagnetic layers to Generate Spin-Polarized Current

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025255195-A1
Application number	US-202519041211-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 30, 2025
Priority date	Feb 1, 2024
Publication date	Aug 7, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to topological material based spin-orbit torque (SOT) devices. The SOT device comprises a seed layer, a texture layer disposed on the seed layer, a first barrier layer disposed on the texture layer, a ferromagnetic (FM) layer disposed over the first barrier layer, a topological insulator (TI) or topological semi-metal (TSM) layer disposed over the first barrier layer, the TI or TSM layer comprising YPtBi or BiSb, and a second barrier layer disposed between the FM layer and the TI or TSM layer. In one embodiment, the texture layer, the first and second barrier layers, and the FM layer have a (100) orientation, and the TI or TSM layer comprises (012) BiSb or (100) YPtBi. In another embodiment, the texture layer, the first and second barrier layers, and the FM layer have a (110) orientation, and the TI or TSM layer comprises (110) YPtBi.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A spin-orbit torque (SOT) device, comprising:
a seed layer; a (100) texture layer disposed on the seed layer; a first (100) barrier layer disposed on the (100) texture layer; a (100) ferromagnetic (FM) layer disposed over the first (100) barrier layer; a topological insulator (TI) or topological semi-metal (TSM) layer disposed over the first (100) barrier layer, the TI or TSM layer comprising YPtBi in a (100) orientation or BiSb in a (012) orientation; and a second (100) barrier layer disposed between the (100) FM layer and the TI or TSM layer.

2 . The SOT device of claim 1 , wherein the (100) texture layer comprises:
X—Al, where X is one or more of Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, and Ir; Cr or CrX alloys, where X is one or more of Mo, Mn, Ti, Ru, and W; or RuAl, W—X, or Ta—X alloys with MgO and TiO, where X is one or more of Ta, Hf, W, V, Ti, Nb and Mo.

3 . The SOT device of claim 1 , wherein the first (100) barrier layer and the second (100) barrier layer each individually comprises a material selected from the group consisting of:
RuHf; Zr—X alloys, where X is one or more of Co, Cu, Ru, and Rh; Ti—Y alloys, where Y is one or more of Au, Ru, and Rh; B2 ternary A (BxC1-x) alloys; B2 binary alloys; CoZrX, where X is one or more of Ti, Fe, Ni, Nb, and Mo; two or more elements selected from the group consisting of: Ta, Hf, W, Ir, Pt, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Mg, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Ru, Rh, and Ag; oxides of Ti, Mg, Ni, Zn, or Zr; X-N or X-C composites, where X is one or more of Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Ta, Hf, and W; and MO 2 materials, where M is one or more of Ti, Cr, Ru, Rh, Sn, Sb, Ir, CrNb, CrV, and WV.

4 . The SOT device of claim 1 , wherein the (100) texture layer, the first (100) barrier layer, and the second (100) barrier layer are epitaxial.

5 . The SOT device of claim 1 , wherein the FM layer is disposed between the first (100) barrier layer and the second (100) barrier layer.

6 . The SOT device of claim 1 , wherein the TI or TSM layer is disposed between the first (100) barrier layer and the second (100) barrier layer.

7 . The SOT device of claim 1 , wherein the TI or TSM layer comprises YPtBi.

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

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

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

11 . A spin-orbit torque (SOT) device, comprising:
a seed layer; a (110) texture layer disposed on the seed layer; a first (110) barrier layer disposed on the (110) texture layer; a (110) ferromagnetic (FM) layer disposed over the first (110) barrier layer; a topological semi-metal (TSM) layer disposed over the first (110) barrier layer, the TSM layer comprising YPtBi in a (110) orientation; and a second (110) barrier layer disposed between the (110) FM layer and the TSM layer.

12 . The SOT device of claim 11 , wherein the (110) texture layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: NiFeW, NiFeTa, CoFeTa, NiFeGe, Ru, CrX alloys, where X is one or more of V, Ti, Ni, Co, Fe, Nb, Mo, Ta, and W, Ta, W, Mo, Nb, V, WTi, CrMo, RhAl, IrAl, and NiAl.

13 . The SOT device of claim 11 , wherein the (110) texture layer, the first (110) barrier layer, and the second (110) barrier layer are epitaxial.

14 . The SOT device of claim 11 , wherein the first (110) barrier layer and the second (110) barrier layer each individually comprises a material selected from the group consisting of:
RuHf; Zr—X alloys, where X is one or more of Co, Cu, Ru, and Rh; Ti—Y alloys, where Y is one or more of Au, Ru, and Rh; B2 ternary A (BxC1-x) alloys; CoZrX, where X is one or more of Ti, Fe, Ni, Nb, and Mo; two or more elements selected from the group consisting of: Ta, Hf, W, Ir, Pt, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Mg, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Ru, Rh, and Ag; oxides of Ti, Mg, Ni, Zn, or Zr; X-N or X-C composites, where X is one or more of Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Ta, Hf, and W; and MO 2 materials, where M is one or more of Os, Ir, Ru, Rh, and Pd.

15 . The SOT device of claim 11 , wherein the FM layer is disposed between the first (100) barrier layer and the second (100) barrier layer.

16 . The SOT device of claim 11 , wherein the TI or TSM layer comprises YPtBi.

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

18 . A magnetic recording device comprising the magnetic recording head of claim 17 .

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

20 . A spin-orbit torque (SOT) device, comprising:
a seed layer; a (100) texture layer disposed on the seed layer; a first (100) barrier layer disposed on the (100) texture layer; a (100) ferromagnetic (FM) layer disposed over the first (100) barrier layer; a topological semi-metal (TSM) layer disposed over the first (100) barrier layer, the TSM layer comprising YPtBi in a (100) orientation; and a second (100) barrier layer disposed between the (100) FM layer and the TSM layer.

21 . The SOT device of claim 20 , wherein the (100) texture layer, the first (100) barrier layer, and the second (100) barrier layer are epitaxial.

22 . The SOT device of claim 20 , wherein the (100) texture layer comprises:
X—Al, where X is one or more of Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, and Ir; Cr or CrX alloys, where X is one or more of Mo, Mn, Ti, Ru, and W; RuAl; or W—X or Ta—X alloys with MgO and TiO, where X is one or more of Ta, Hf, W, V, Ti, Nb and Mo.

23 . The SOT device of claim 20 , wherein the first (100) barrier layer and the second (100) barrier layer each individually comprises a material selected from the group consisting of:
RuHf; Zr—X alloys, where X is one or more of Co, Cu, Ru, and Rh; Ti—Y alloys, where Y is one or more of Au, Ru, and Rh; B2 ternary A (BxC1-x) alloys; CoZrX, where X is one or more of Ti, Fe, Ni, Nb, and Mo; two or more elements selected from the group consisting of: Ta, Hf, W, Ir, Pt, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Mg, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Ru, Rh, and Ag; oxides of Ti, Mg, Ni, Zn, or Zr; X-N or X-C composites, where X is one or more of Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Ta, Hf, and W; or MO 2 materials, where M is one or more of Ti, Cr, Ru, Rh, Sn, Sb, Ir, CrNb, CrV, and WV.

24 . The SOT device of claim 20 , wherein the TI or TSM layer is disposed between the first (100) barrier layer and the second (100) barrier layer.

25 . The SOT device of claim 20 , wherein the TI or TSM layer comprises YPtBi.

26 . A magnetic recording head comprising the SOT device of claim 20 .

27 . A magnetic recording device comprising the magnetic recording head of claim 26 .

28 . A magneto-resistive memory comprising the SOT device of claim 20 .

Assignees

• Western Digital Tech Inc

Inventors

• Le Quang
• York Brian R
• Gribelyuk Michael A
• Liu Xiaoyong
• Le Son T
• Maeda Maki
• Takano Hisashi

Classifications

• H10N50/01

  Manufacture or treatment · CPC title

• H10N50/80

  Constructional details · CPC title

• G11C11/18

  using Hall-effect devices · CPC title

• H10N50/85 Primary

  Materials of the active region · CPC title

• H10N50/10

  Magnetoresistive devices · CPC title