Fe-x templating layers for growth of perpendicularly magnetized Heusler films on top of a tunnel barrier

A method of manufacturing a magnetic random-access memory (MRAM) device, the method comprising:

• forming a bottom magnetic reference layer above a substrate;
• forming a tunnel barrier layer above the bottom magnetic reference layer;
• and
• forming a top magnetic free layer above the tunnel barrier layer, forming the top magnetic free layer comprising:
• forming a chemical templating layer on the tunnel barrier layer, the chemical templating layer comprising a binary alloy of FeyX, wherein y is in a range from 0.9 to 3.3;
• and
• growing a magnetic layer on the chemical templating layer, the chemical templating layer causing the magnetic layer to include a Heusler compound having substantially perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.