Magnetoresistive element and magnetic memory

A magnetoresistive element, comprising:

• a reference layer having a fixed magnetization direction and including a ferromagnetic material;
• a recording layer having a variable magnetization direction and including a ferromagnetic material;
• and
• a non-magnetic layer that is electrically connected between the reference layer and the recording layer and that contains oxygen, the non-magnetic layer being a tunnel coupling layer through which a tunnel current flows, wherein
• the reference layer, the recording layer and the tunnel coupling layer are arranged so that a magnetization direction of the one of the reference layer and the recording layer becomes perpendicular to a layer surface by an interfacial perpendicular magnetic anisotropy at an interface between the tunnel coupling layer and the one of the reference layer and the recording layer, resulting from the one of the reference layer and the recording layer having a predetermined thickness,
• when the one of the reference layer and the recording layer is the recording layer, the recording layer contains CoFeB, and has a bcc structure, the predetermined thickness of the recording layer being equal to or less than 3 nm, and
• when the one of the reference layer and the recording layer is the reference layer, the reference layer contains CoFeB, and has a bcc structure, the predetermined thickness of the reference layer being equal to or less than 3 nm.

A magnetoresistive element, comprising:

• a reference layer having a fixed magnetization direction and including a ferromagnetic material;
• a recording layer having a variable magnetization direction and including a ferromagnetic material;
• and
• a non-magnetic layer that is electrically connected between the reference layer and the recording layer and that contains oxygen, the non-magnetic layer being a tunnel coupling layer through which a tunnel current flows, wherein
• the reference layer, the recording layer and the tunnel coupling layer are arranged so that a magnetization direction of the one of the reference layer and the recording layer becomes perpendicular to a layer surface by an interfacial perpendicular magnetic anisotropy at an interface between the tunnel coupling layer and the one of the reference layer and the recording layer, resulting from the one of the reference layer and the recording layer having a predetermined thickness,
• when the one of the reference layer and the recording layer is the recording layer, the recording layer contains Co or Fe, and has a bcc structure, the magnetoresistive element further comprising a first non-magnetic layer formed directly on one surface of the recording layer opposite to an other surface of the recording layer on which the tunnel coupling layer is directly formed so that the recording layer is sandwiched by the tunnel coupling layer and the first non-magnetic layer, the first non-magnetic layer containing Ta, Cu or Mg, the predetermined thickness of the recording layer being equal to or less than 3 nm, and
• when the one of the reference layer and the recording layer is the reference layer, the reference layer contains Co or Fe, and has a bcc structure, the magnetoresistive element further comprising a second non-magnetic layer formed directly on one surface of the reference layer opposite to an other surface of the reference layer on which the tunnel coupling layer is directly formed so that the reference layer is sandwiched by the tunnel coupling layer and the second non-magnetic layer, the second non-magnetic layer containing Ta or Mg, the predetermined thickness of the reference layer being equal to or less than 3 nm.