APPROACHES FOR STRAIN ENGINEERING OF PERPENDICULAR MAGNETIC TUNNEL JUNCTIONS (PMTJS) AND THE RESULTING STRUCTURES

摘要

Approaches for strain engineering of perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions (pMTJs), and the resulting structures, are described. In an example, a memory structure includes a perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction (pMTJ) element disposed above a substrate. A lateral strain-inducing material layer is disposed on the pMTJ element. An inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer is disposed laterally adjacent to both the pMTJ element and the lateral strain-inducing material layer. The ILD layer has an uppermost surface co-planar or substantially co-planar with an uppermost surface of the lateral strain-inducing material layer.