Magnetoresistive memory element having a metal oxide tunnel barrier

A magnetoresistive memory array including a plurality of magnetoresistive memory elements, wherein each magnetoresistive memory element comprising:

• a free layer including at least one ferromagnetic layer having perpendicular magnetic anisotropy;
• a fixed layer including at least one ferromagnetic layer;
• and
• a tunnel barrier, disposed between and in contact with the free layer and the fixed layer, the tunnel barrier including:
• a first magnesium-oxide layer, having a thickness between 1 and 10 Angstroms, wherein the first magnesium-oxide layer is in contact with the fixed layer;
• a second magnesium-oxide layer, having a thickness between 3 and 6 Angstroms;
• and
• a third magnesium-oxide layer, having a thickness between 1 and 10 Angstroms, wherein the third magnesium-oxide layer is in contact with the free layer and wherein the second magnesium-oxide layer is disposed between the first and third magnesium-oxide layers.

A magnetoresistive memory array including a plurality of magnetoresistive memory elements, wherein each magnetoresistive memory element comprising:

• a free layer including at least one ferromagnetic layer having perpendicular magnetic anisotropy;
• a fixed layer including at least one ferromagnetic layer;
• and
• a tunnel barrier, disposed between and in contact with the free layer and the fixed layer, the tunnel barrier including:
• a first magnesium-oxide layer, having a thickness between 1 and 10 Angstroms and a first resistance-area product;
• a second magnesium-oxide layer, having a thickness between 3 and 6 Angstroms and a second resistance-area product, disposed over the first magnesium-oxide layer;
• and
• a third magnesium-oxide layer, having a thickness between 3 and 6 Angstroms, disposed over the second magnesium-oxide layer, wherein the third magnesium-oxide layer is in contact with (i) the free layer or (ii) the fixed layer.