Spinel containing magnetic tunnel junction and method of making the same

A method of forming a magnetoresistive memory device, comprising:

• forming a first electrode over a substrate;
• depositing a ferromagnetic reference layer, a spinel layer including an amorphous spinel material, a ferromagnetic free layer, and a magnesium oxide layer including a polycrystalline magnesium oxide material having (001) texture;
• performing an anneal process to induce solid phase epitaxy of the spinel layer using the magnesium oxide layer as a crystallization template layer, wherein the amorphous spinel material is converted into a polycrystalline spinel material having (001);
• and
• forming a second electrode prior to or after the anneal process.

A method of forming a magnetoresistive memory device, comprising:

• forming a first electrode over a substrate;
• depositing a magnetic tunnel junction layer stack over the first electrode, wherein the magnetic tunnel junction layer stack comprises a ferromagnetic reference layer, a first spinel layer including a first amorphous spinel material, a magnesium oxide layer including a polycrystalline magnesium oxide material having (001) texture along an axial direction that is perpendicular to an interface with the first spinel layer, a second spinel layer including a second amorphous spinel material, and a ferromagnetic free layer;
• performing an anneal process to induce solid phase epitaxy of materials of the first spinel layer and the second spinel layer using the magnesium oxide layer as a crystallization template layer, wherein the first amorphous spinel material is converted into a first polycrystalline spinel material having (001) texture along the axial direction and the second amorphous spinel material is converted into a second polycrystalline spinel material having (001) texture;
• and
• forming a second electrode over a portion of the magnetic tunnel junction layer stack prior to or after the anneal process.