Magnetoresistive structure having a novel specular and barrier layer combination

A magnetoresistive structure comprising:

• a pinned layer;
• a spacer layer that is nonmagnetic;
• a free layer, the spacer layer residing between the pinned layer and the free layer;
• a specular layer adjacent to the free layer, the free layer residing between the spacer layer and the specular layer, the specular layer including at least one of titanium oxide, yttrium oxide, hafnium oxide, magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, nickel oxide, iron oxide, zirconium oxide, niobium oxide, and tantalum oxide;
• a barrier layer, the barrier layer being nonmagnetic, the barrier layer including a first material;
• and
• a capping layer including a second material different from the first material, the barrier layer residing between the specular oxide layer and the capping layer;
• and
• wherein the barrier layer consists essentially of Cu.

A magnetoresistive structure comprising:

• a pinned layer, the pinned layer being a synthetic antiferromagnetic layer including a first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer and a nonmagnetic, conductive spacer layer between the first and second ferromagnetic layers;
• a second spacer layer that is nonmagnetic and conductive;
• a free layer, the second spacer layer residing between the pinned layer and the free layer;
• a specular layer adjoining the free layer such that the free layer and specular layer share an interface, the free layer residing between the second spacer layer and the specular layer, the specular layer including at least one of titanium oxide, yttrium oxide, hafnium oxide, magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, nickel oxide, iron oxide, zirconium oxide, niobium oxide, and tantalum oxide, the specular layer having a specular layer thickness of at least eight and not more than fifteen Angstroms;
• a barrier layer, the barrier layer being nonmagnetic, the barrier layer including at least one of Cu, Pt, Au, and Ag, the barrier layer having a barrier thickness of at least twenty-five and not more than thirty-five Angstroms;
• and
• a capping layer including a material different from a material of the barrier layer, the barrier layer residing between the specular oxide layer and the capping layer.