Magnetic memory device

Abstract

To provide a magnetic memory device including a magnetoresistive effect element having excellent characteristics.SOLUTION: A magnetic memory device according to an embodiment includes: a first magnetic layer 10 having a fixed magnetization direction; a predetermined element-containing layer 60 containing at least one predetermined element selected from bismuth (Bi), antimony (Sb), and tellurium (Te); a second magnetic layer 20 provided between the first magnetic layer and the predetermined element-containing layer and having a variable magnetization direction; and a nonmagnetic layer 30 provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer. The second magnetic layer includes: a first layer portion 21 having a (100) plane parallel to a main surface thereof; and a second layer portion 22 provided between the predetermined element-containing layer and the first layer portion and having a (110) plane parallel to the main surface thereof.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a magnetic storage device. [Background technology]

[0002] A magnetic memory device has been proposed in which a plurality of magnetoresistive effect elements are integrated on a semiconductor substrate. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] US Patent Application Publication No. 2022 / 0165470 [Patent Document 2] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021 / 0210677 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] A magnetic storage device including a magnetoresistive element with excellent characteristics is provided. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The magnetic memory device according to the embodiment is a magnetic memory device comprising: a first magnetic layer having a fixed magnetization direction; a predetermined element-containing layer containing at least one predetermined element selected from bismuth (Bi), antimony (Sb), and tellurium (Te); a second magnetic layer having a variable magnetization direction and provided between the first magnetic layer and the predetermined element-containing layer; and a non-magnetic layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, wherein the second magnetic layer includes a first layer portion having a (100) plane parallel to its major surface, and a second layer portion provided between the predetermined element-containing layer and the first layer portion and having a (110) plane parallel to its major surface. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the basic configuration of a magnetic memory device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the basic configuration of a modified example of the magnetic memory device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the basic configuration of a magnetic memory device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the basic configuration of a first modified example of the magnetic memory device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the basic configuration of a second modified example of the magnetic memory device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the basic configuration of a third modified example of the magnetic memory device according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0008] (First embodiment) FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the basic configuration of a magnetic memory device according to the first embodiment.

[0009] 1 is provided on a lower structure (not shown) including a semiconductor substrate (not shown) and functions as a magnetoresistive element. Specifically, the magnetoresistive element functions as a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) element with perpendicular magnetization.

[0010] The magnetic memory device of this embodiment shown in Figure 1 includes a reference layer (first magnetic layer) 10, a memory layer (second magnetic layer) 20, a tunnel barrier layer (non-magnetic layer) 30, a shift canceling layer 40, an intermediate layer 50, and a layer containing a predetermined element 60, and has a stacked structure in which these layers 10 to 60 are stacked.

[0011] More specifically, a reference layer 10, a memory layer 20, a tunnel barrier layer 30, and an intermediate layer 50 are provided between the shift canceling layer 40 and the layer containing a predetermined element 60, a memory layer 20 is provided between the reference layer 10 and the layer containing a predetermined element 60, a tunnel barrier layer 30 is provided between the reference layer 10 and the memory layer 20, and an intermediate layer 50 is provided between the reference layer 10 and the shift canceling layer 40.

[0012] Reference layer 10 is a ferromagnetic layer having a fixed magnetization direction and has perpendicular magnetization. That is, the magnetization direction of reference layer 10 is perpendicular to the major surface of reference layer 10. Reference layer 10 contains at least one element selected from iron (Fe) and cobalt (Co), and may further contain boron (B). In this embodiment, reference layer 10 is formed of a CoFeB layer containing Co, Fe, and B.

[0013] The storage layer 20 is a ferromagnetic layer having a variable magnetization direction and has perpendicular magnetization, i.e., the magnetization direction of the storage layer 20 is perpendicular to the major surface of the storage layer 20. The storage layer 20 includes a first layer portion 21, a second layer portion 22, and a third layer portion 23.

[0014] The first layer portion 21 is in contact with the tunnel barrier layer 30 and has a (100) plane parallel to the main surface thereof. That is, the lower and upper surfaces of the first layer portion 21 are oriented in the (100) plane. The first layer portion 21 contains at least one element selected from iron (Fe) and cobalt (Co), and may further contain boron (B). In this embodiment, the first layer portion 21 is formed of a CoFeB layer containing Co, Fe, and B.

[0015] The second layer portion 22 is provided between the predetermined element-containing layer 60 and the first layer portion 21, is in contact with the predetermined element-containing layer 60, and has a (110) plane parallel to the main surface thereof. That is, the lower and upper surfaces of the second layer portion 22 are oriented in the (110) plane. The second layer portion 22 contains at least one element selected from iron (Fe) and cobalt (Co). In this embodiment, the second layer portion 22 is formed of a CoFe layer containing Co and Fe.

[0016] The third layer portion 23 is provided between the first layer portion 21 and the second layer portion 22, and is in contact with the first layer portion 21 and the second layer portion 22. By providing the third layer portion 23 between the first layer portion 21 and the second layer portion 22, the orientation direction of the first layer portion 21 and the orientation direction of the second layer portion 22 can be made different, and the second layer portion 22 can be more easily oriented in the (110) plane.

[0017] The third layer portion 23 is formed of an amorphous magnetic material or a material containing at least one element selected from ruthenium (Ru), platinum (Pt), iridium (Ir), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh), silver (Ag), and gold (Au). As the amorphous magnetic material, a material containing cobalt (Co), zirconium (Zr), and niobium (Nb) (CoZrNb), or a material containing cobalt (Co), zirconium (Zr), and molybdenum (Mo) (CoZrMo) can be used.

[0018] The tunnel barrier layer 30 is an insulating layer and is formed of an MgO layer containing magnesium (Mg) and oxygen (O). The tunnel barrier layer 30 has a (100) plane parallel to its main surface. That is, the lower and upper surfaces of the tunnel barrier layer 30 are oriented in the same (100) plane as the first layer portion 21 of the storage layer 20.

[0019] The shift canceling layer 40 is a ferromagnetic layer having a fixed magnetization direction and has perpendicular magnetization. That is, the magnetization direction of the shift canceling layer 40 is perpendicular to the major surface of the shift canceling layer 40. The shift canceling layer 40 has a function of canceling the magnetic field applied from the reference layer 10 to the storage layer 20, and the magnetization direction of the shift canceling layer 40 is antiparallel to the magnetization direction of the reference layer 10. The shift canceling layer 40 has a superlattice structure in which cobalt (Co) and platinum (Pt) are alternately stacked.

[0020] The intermediate layer 50 is formed of an iridium (Ir) layer or a ruthenium (Ru) layer, and SAF coupling (synthetic antiferromagnetic coupling) is established between the reference layer 10 and the shift canceling layer 40 via the intermediate layer 50 .

[0021] The predetermined element-containing layer 60 is provided on the memory layer 20 and functions as a cap layer. The predetermined element-containing layer 60 contains at least one predetermined element selected from bismuth (Bi), antimony (Sb), and tellurium (Te). That is, the predetermined element-containing layer 60 may be formed of a Bi layer containing substantially only Bi, an Sb layer containing substantially only Sb, or a Te layer containing substantially only Te. Alternatively, the predetermined element-containing layer 60 may be formed of a layer containing substantially only two or more elements selected from Bi, Sb, and Te. Furthermore, the predetermined element-containing layer 60 may contain other elements in addition to at least one predetermined element selected from Bi, Sb, and Te. In this embodiment, the predetermined element-containing layer 60 is formed of a Bi layer, an Sb layer, or a Te layer.

[0022] The term "substantially formed" means that a layer containing an intended element is allowed to contain a trace amount of unintended elements other than the intended element. The same applies to the following description.

[0023] As described above, in this embodiment, the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of the storage layer 20 can be increased by providing the predetermined element-containing layer 60, and a magnetoresistive element with excellent characteristics can be obtained.

[0024] In order to obtain a magnetoresistive element with excellent characteristics, it is important to increase the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of the storage layer. However, as the size of the magnetoresistive element decreases, it becomes more difficult to obtain a storage layer with high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.

[0025] In this embodiment, a predetermined element-containing layer 60 formed of a Bi layer, an Sb layer, or a Te layer is provided adjacent to the memory layer 20. Bi, Sb, and Te have large spin-orbit interactions, and by providing a Bi layer, an Sb layer, or a Te layer adjacent to the memory layer 20, it is possible to increase the interface magnetic anisotropy of the memory layer 20.

[0026] When a Bi layer, an Sb layer, or a Te layer is provided adjacent to the memory layer 20, the memory layer 20 is oriented in the (110) plane, thereby exhibiting large perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. However, in order to obtain excellent TMR (tunnel magnetoresistance) characteristics, it is important that the memory layer 20 is oriented in the (100) plane at least near the interface between the memory layer 20 and the tunnel barrier layer 30 oriented in the (100) plane.

[0027] In this embodiment, the first layer portion 21 of the storage layer 20 has a (100) plane parallel to its major surface (the first layer portion 21 is oriented in the (100) plane), and the second layer portion 22 of the storage layer 20 has a (110) plane parallel to its major surface (the second layer portion 22 is oriented in the (110) plane). Therefore, in this embodiment, the first layer portion 21 can ensure excellent TMR, and the second layer portion 22 can enhance perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. That is, the first layer portion 21 adjacent to the tunnel barrier layer 30 ensures excellent TMR, and the second layer portion 22, which has high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, can enhance the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of the entire storage layer 20.

[0028] Generally, by using the predetermined element-containing layer 60 containing at least one predetermined element selected from Bi, Sb, and Te, it is possible to obtain the same effects as those described above.

[0029] Furthermore, in this embodiment, by providing the third layer portion 23 between the first layer portion 21 and the second layer portion 22, it is possible to effectively differentiate the orientation direction of the first layer portion 21 from the orientation direction of the second layer portion 22. That is, the first layer portion 21 can be oriented in the (100) plane, the same as the tunnel barrier layer 30, and the second layer portion 22 can be oriented in the (110) plane with high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy due to the predetermined element-containing layer 60.

[0030] To obtain the above-described structure, first, a preliminary stacked layer structure corresponding to the stacked layer structure shown in FIG. 1 is formed. In this preliminary stacked layer structure, the region corresponding to the first layer portion 21 of the memory layer 20 is in an amorphous state. That is, in the preliminary stacked layer structure, boron is uniformly distributed throughout the region corresponding to the first layer portion 21, so that the region corresponding to the first layer portion 21 is in an amorphous state. The second layer portion 22 is oriented in the (110) plane due to the action of the predetermined element-containing layer 60 and the third layer portion 23. The structure of the layers other than the region corresponding to the first layer portion 21 is the same as the stacked layer structure shown in FIG. 1.

[0031] When such a preliminary stacked layer structure is subjected to a heat treatment, boron in the region corresponding to the first layer portion 21 diffuses outward, and the region corresponding to the first layer portion 21 changes from an amorphous state to a crystalline state. Specifically, the first layer portion 21 is oriented in the same (100) plane as the tunnel barrier layer 30. As a result, the stacked layer structure shown in FIG. 1 is obtained.

[0032] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic basic configuration of a modified example of the magnetic storage device according to this embodiment.

[0033] The basic structure of this modified example is the same as that of the above-described embodiment. However, while the magnetoresistive effect element of the above-described embodiment is a top-free type magnetoresistive effect element in which the memory layer 20 is located above the reference layer 10, this modified example is a bottom-free type magnetoresistive effect element in which the memory layer 20 is located below the reference layer 10. Therefore, the stacking order of the layers 10 to 60 in this modified example is reversed from that of the above-described embodiment. Furthermore, in this modified example, the predetermined element-containing layer 60 functions as an underlayer.

[0034] As described above, the basic structure of this modified example is the same as that of the above-described embodiment, and the same effects as those of the above-described embodiment can be obtained with this modified example.

[0035] (Second embodiment) Next, a magnetic storage device according to a second embodiment will be described. Note that the basic features are the same as those of the first embodiment, and therefore a description of the features described in the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0036] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the basic configuration of a magnetic memory device according to the second embodiment.

[0037] 3 is provided on a lower structure (not shown) including a semiconductor substrate (not shown) and functions as a magnetoresistive element. As in the first embodiment, the magnetoresistive element is an MTJ element having perpendicular magnetization.

[0038] As in the first embodiment, the magnetic memory device of this embodiment shown in FIG. 3 includes a reference layer (first magnetic layer) 10, a memory layer (second magnetic layer) 20, a tunnel barrier layer (non-magnetic layer) 30, a shift canceling layer 40, an intermediate layer 50, and a layer containing a predetermined element 60, and has a stacked structure in which these layers 10 to 60 are stacked.

[0039] More specifically, a reference layer 10, a memory layer 20, a tunnel barrier layer 30, and an intermediate layer 50 are provided between the shift canceling layer 40 and the layer containing a predetermined element 60, a memory layer 20 is provided between the reference layer 10 and the layer containing a predetermined element 60, a tunnel barrier layer 30 is provided between the reference layer 10 and the memory layer 20, and an intermediate layer 50 is provided between the reference layer 10 and the shift canceling layer 40.

[0040] The basic configurations of the reference layer 10, the tunnel barrier layer 30, the shift canceling layer 40, and the intermediate layer 50 are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0041] The memory layer 20 is in contact with the tunnel barrier layer 30 and the predetermined element-containing layer 60, and includes a layer portion having a (100) plane parallel to the major surface thereof. That is, the memory layer 20 includes a layer portion oriented in the (100) plane. This layer portion oriented in the (100) plane is in contact with the tunnel barrier layer 30. This layer portion oriented in the (100) direction contains at least one element selected from iron (Fe) and cobalt (Co), and may further contain boron (B). In this embodiment, the layer portion oriented in the (100) plane is formed of a CoFeB layer containing Co, Fe, and B. In addition, in this embodiment, the entire memory layer 20 is formed of a layer portion oriented in the (100) plane.

[0042] The predetermined element-containing layer 60 is provided on the memory layer 20 and functions as a cap layer. The predetermined element-containing layer 60 contains at least one first predetermined element selected from bismuth (Bi), antimony (Sb), and tellurium (Te), at least one second predetermined element selected from magnesium (Mg), titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), scandium (Sc), yttrium (Y), aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), samarium (Sm), gadolinium (Gd), terbium (Tb), and dysprosium (Dy), and oxygen (O). The predetermined element-containing layer 60 may further contain other elements in addition to the at least one first predetermined element, the at least one second predetermined element, and oxygen.

[0043] In this embodiment, the predetermined element-containing layer 60 includes a portion substantially formed of at least one first predetermined element, at least one second predetermined element, and oxygen (O). In this embodiment, the entire predetermined element-containing layer 60 is substantially formed of at least one first predetermined element, at least one second predetermined element, and oxygen.

[0044] Specifically, the predetermined element-containing layer 60 may be formed of a compound of at least one first predetermined element, at least one second predetermined element, and oxygen, or may have a structure in which at least one second predetermined element is added to a compound of at least one first predetermined element and oxygen, or may have a structure in which at least one first predetermined element is added to a compound of at least one second predetermined element and oxygen.

[0045] As described above, in this embodiment, it is possible to obtain a magnetoresistive element having excellent characteristics by providing the predetermined element-containing layer 60. A further explanation will be given below.

[0046] As already mentioned, Bi, Sb, and Te used as the first predetermined element have a large spin-orbit interaction, so by providing a layer containing the first predetermined element adjacent to the storage layer 20, it is possible to increase the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of the storage layer 20.

[0047] However, in general, elements having a large spin-orbit interaction (first predetermined elements such as Bi, Sb, and Te) have a large spin pumping effect. Therefore, when the predetermined element-containing layer 60 is formed of a layer containing only the first predetermined element, the damping value becomes large, and the reversal current of the magnetoresistive effect element (the current required to reverse the magnetization direction of the memory layer 20) becomes large.

[0048] By forming the predetermined element-containing layer 60 from an oxide layer containing the first predetermined element and oxygen, it is possible to reduce the damping value and the reversal current of the magnetoresistive effect element. However, the bond between the first predetermined element and oxygen is weak, and the oxide of the first predetermined element is unstable. In particular, when the memory layer 20 contains boron (B), the oxygen contained in the predetermined element-containing layer 60 bonds with the boron, making it difficult for the oxide of the first predetermined element to stably exist in the predetermined element-containing layer 60. Therefore, the effect of reducing the damping value by the oxide of the first predetermined element may be impaired.

[0049] In this embodiment, the predetermined element-containing layer 60 contains a second predetermined element in addition to the first predetermined element and oxygen. The bond between the second predetermined element and oxygen is stronger than the bond between boron and oxygen. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to suppress the bonding between boron and oxygen. Therefore, in this embodiment, the first predetermined element and oxygen can be stably present in the predetermined element-containing layer 60, and the damping value can be appropriately reduced.

[0050] As described above, in this embodiment, by providing the predetermined element-containing layer 60 containing the first predetermined element, the second predetermined element, and oxygen, it is possible to enhance the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of the memory layer 20, and also to appropriately reduce the damping value by improving the stability of the predetermined element-containing layer 60, thereby effectively suppressing an increase in reversal current. This makes it possible to obtain a magnetoresistance effect element with excellent characteristics.

[0051] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view that schematically shows the basic configuration of a first modified example of the magnetic storage device according to this embodiment.

[0052] The basic structure of this modified example is the same as that of the above-described embodiment. However, while the magnetoresistive effect element of the above-described embodiment is a top-free type magnetoresistive effect element in which the memory layer 20 is located above the reference layer 10, this modified example is a bottom-free type magnetoresistive effect element in which the memory layer 20 is located below the reference layer 10. Therefore, the stacking order of the layers 10 to 60 in this modified example is reversed from that of the above-described embodiment. Furthermore, in this modified example, the predetermined element-containing layer 60 functions as an underlayer.

[0053] As described above, the basic structure of this modified example is the same as that of the above-described embodiment, and this modified example can also achieve the same effects as those of the above-described embodiment.

[0054] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view that schematically shows the basic configuration of a second modified example of the magnetic storage device according to this embodiment.

[0055] The basic structure of this modification is similar to that of the above-described embodiment, and the predetermined element-containing layer 60 contains at least one first predetermined element, at least one second predetermined element, and oxygen (O). The at least one first predetermined element and the at least one second predetermined element may be the same elements as those shown in the above-described embodiment.

[0056] In this modification, the predetermined element-containing layer 60 includes a first predetermined element-containing layer portion 61 containing at least one first predetermined element and oxygen (O), and a second predetermined element-containing layer portion 62 provided between the memory layer 20 and the first predetermined element-containing layer portion 61 and containing at least one second predetermined element and oxygen (O). Specifically, the predetermined element-containing layer 60 includes the first predetermined element-containing layer portion 61 substantially formed of at least one first predetermined element and oxygen (O), and the second predetermined element-containing layer portion 62 substantially formed of at least one second predetermined element and oxygen (O). That is, it is possible to use an oxide of the first predetermined element as the first predetermined element-containing layer portion 61, and to use an oxide of the second predetermined element as the second predetermined element-containing layer portion 62.

[0057] As described above, the basic structure of this modified example is the same as that of the above-described embodiment, and this modified example can also achieve the same effects as those of the above-described embodiment.

[0058] Specifically, the first predetermined element-containing layer portion 61 can increase the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of the memory layer 20 and suppress an increase in reversal current, and the second predetermined element-containing layer portion 62 can suppress a decrease in the stability of the predetermined element-containing layer 60 due to boron diffusion, etc.

[0059] If the second predetermined element-containing layer portion 62 is too thick, the effect of the first predetermined element-containing layer portion 61 in increasing the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of the memory layer 20 may be impaired. Therefore, it is preferable that the thickness of the second predetermined element-containing layer portion 62 is thinner than the thickness of the first predetermined element-containing layer portion 61. For example, it is preferable that the thickness of the second predetermined element-containing layer portion 62 is approximately the thickness of a monolayer of a compound of the second predetermined element and oxygen.

[0060] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic basic configuration of a third modified example of the magnetic storage device according to this embodiment.

[0061] The basic structure of this modified example is the same as that of the above-described embodiment and the second modified example. However, while the magnetoresistive effect element of the second modified example is a top-free type magnetoresistive effect element in which the memory layer 20 is located above the reference layer 10, this modified example is a bottom-free type magnetoresistive effect element in which the memory layer 20 is located below the reference layer 10. Therefore, the stacking order of the layers 10 to 60 in this modified example is reversed from that of the second modified example. Furthermore, in this modified example, the predetermined element-containing layer 60 functions as an underlayer.

[0062] As such, the basic structure of this modified example is similar to that of the above-described embodiment and second modified example, and this modified example can also obtain the same effects as the above-described embodiment and second modified example.

[0063] Although the first and second embodiments have been described above, the configurations of the first and second embodiments may be combined. For example, the configuration of the predetermined element-containing layer 60 of the second embodiment may be applied to the predetermined element-containing layer 60 of the first embodiment. In this case, for example, by forming the predetermined element-containing layer 60 by adjusting the ratios of at least one first predetermined element, at least one second predetermined element, and oxygen (O), it is possible to obtain the second layer portion 22 oriented in the (110) plane described in the first embodiment.

[0064] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents as defined in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 10...Reference layer (first magnetic layer) 20...Memory layer (second magnetic layer) 21...first layer portion 22...second layer portion 23...third layer portion 30...Tunnel barrier layer (non-magnetic layer) 40...Shift canceling layer 50...middle class 60...Predetermined element-containing layer 61...first predetermined element-containing layer portion 62...second predetermined element-containing layer portion

Claims

1. a first magnetic layer having a fixed magnetization direction; a predetermined element-containing layer containing at least one predetermined element selected from bismuth (Bi), antimony (Sb), and tellurium (Te); a second magnetic layer having a variable magnetization direction, the second magnetic layer being provided between the first magnetic layer and the layer containing the predetermined element; a non-magnetic layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer; A magnetic storage device comprising: The second magnetic layer comprises: a first layer portion having a (100) plane parallel to the major surface thereof; a second layer portion provided between the predetermined element-containing layer and the first layer portion, the second layer portion having a (110) plane parallel to the main surface of the second layer portion; Contains A magnetic storage device characterized by:

2. The second magnetic layer further includes a third layer portion provided between the first layer portion and the second layer portion and formed of an amorphous magnetic material or a material containing at least one element selected from ruthenium (Ru), platinum (Pt), iridium (Ir), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh), silver (Ag), and gold (Au).

2. The magnetic storage device according to claim 1.

3. The amorphous magnetic material is selected from a material containing cobalt (Co), zirconium (Zr) and niobium (Nb), and a material containing cobalt (Co), zirconium (Zr) and molybdenum (Mo).

3. The magnetic storage device according to claim 2.

4. The first layer portion of the second magnetic layer contains at least one element selected from iron (Fe) and cobalt (Co).

2. The magnetic storage device according to claim 1.

5. The first layer portion of the second magnetic layer further contains boron (B).

5. The magnetic storage device according to claim 4.

6. The second layer portion of the second magnetic layer contains at least one element selected from iron (Fe) and cobalt (Co).

2. The magnetic storage device according to claim 1.

7. The first layer portion of the second magnetic layer is in contact with the nonmagnetic layer.

2. The magnetic storage device according to claim 1.

8. The second layer portion of the second magnetic layer is in contact with the layer containing the predetermined element.

2. The magnetic storage device according to claim 1.

9. a first magnetic layer having a fixed magnetization direction; a predetermined element-containing layer containing at least one first predetermined element selected from bismuth (Bi), antimony (Sb), and tellurium (Te), at least one second predetermined element selected from magnesium (Mg), titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), scandium (Sc), yttrium (Y), aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), samarium (Sm), gadolinium (Gd), terbium (Tb), and dysprosium (Dy), and oxygen (O); a second magnetic layer having a variable magnetization direction, the second magnetic layer being provided between the first magnetic layer and the layer containing the predetermined element; a non-magnetic layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer; A magnetic storage device comprising:

10. The second magnetic layer includes a layer portion having a (100) plane parallel to the major surface thereof.

10. The magnetic storage device according to claim 9.

11. The layer portion of the second magnetic layer contains at least one element selected from iron (Fe) and cobalt (Co).

11. The magnetic storage device according to claim 10.

12. The layer portion of the second magnetic layer further contains boron (B).

12. The magnetic storage device according to claim 11.

13. The layer portion of the second magnetic layer is in contact with the nonmagnetic layer.

11. The magnetic storage device according to claim 10.

14. The second magnetic layer is in contact with the layer containing the predetermined element.

10. The magnetic storage device according to claim 9.

15. The predetermined element-containing layer includes a portion substantially formed of the at least one first predetermined element, the at least one second predetermined element, and oxygen (O).

10. The magnetic storage device according to claim 9.

16. The predetermined element-containing layer includes a first predetermined element-containing layer portion substantially made of the at least one first predetermined element and oxygen (O), and a second predetermined element-containing layer portion provided between the second magnetic layer and the first predetermined element-containing layer portion and substantially made of the at least one second predetermined element and oxygen (O).

10. The magnetic storage device according to claim 9.

17. The non-magnetic layer contains magnesium (Mg) and oxygen (O).

10. The magnetic storage device according to claim 1 or 9.

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