Semiconductor device having rare earth oxide layer and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first rare earth oxide layer, a first magnetic layer being adjacent to the first rare earth oxide layer, and a nonmagnetic layer, the first magnetic layer being disposed between the first rare earth oxide layer and the nonmagnetic layer and being oriented in a crystal surface which is the same as a crystal surface of the nonmagnetic layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A semiconductor device comprising:
 a first rare earth oxide layer;   a first magnetic layer being adjacent to the first rare earth oxide layer; and   a nonmagnetic layer, the first magnetic layer being disposed between the first rare earth oxide layer and the nonmagnetic layer and being oriented in a crystal surface which is the same as a crystal surface of the nonmagnetic layer.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first rare earth oxide layer includes at least one of Tb, Gd, Nd, Y, Sm, Pm, Tm, Sc, Ce, Eu, Er, Ho, La, Yb, Lu, Pr and Dy.   
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first magnetic layer contacts the first rare earth oxide layer.   
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first magnetic layer and the first rare earth oxide layer have the same element.   
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein
 the same element is at least one of B, P, C, Al, Mn, Si, Ta, W, Mo, Cr, Hf and Ti.   
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second rare earth oxide layer, the first magnetic layer being disposed between the first and second rare earth oxide layers.   
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second magnetic layer, the first rare earth oxide layer being disposed between the first and second magnetic layers.   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein
 a material included in the nonmagnetic layer is different from a material included in the first rare earth oxide layer.   
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein
 the nonmagnetic layer includes at least one of magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, zinc oxide, titanium oxide, aluminum nitride, boron nitride and lanthanum-strontium-manganese oxide (LSMO).   
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein
 the nonmagnetic layer includes at least one of Pt, Pd, Rh, Ru, Ir and Cr.   
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a second rare earth oxide layer; and   a second magnetic layer between the nonmagnetic layer and the second rare earth oxide layer,   wherein the second magnetic layer is oriented in a crystal surface which is the same as a crystal surface of the nonmagnetic layer.   
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein
 each of the first and second magnetic layers includes at least one of Co, Fe and Ni, and   the nonmagnetic layer includes at least one of magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, zinc oxide, titanium oxide, aluminum nitride, boron nitride and lanthanum-strontium-manganese oxide (LSMO).   
     
     
         13 . A method of manufacturing the device of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 forming a stacked structure of the first rare earth oxide layer, the first magnetic layer and the nonmagnetic layer, where the first magnetic layer includes impurities and has an amorphous structure; and   changing the first magnetic layer from the amorphous structure to a crystalline structure being oriented in the crystal surface which is the same as the crystal surface of the nonmagnetic layer by heat treatment.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein
 the first rare earth oxide layer does not include the impurities before the heat treatment, and   the first rare earth oxide layer includes the impurities which are diffused from the first magnetic layer after the heat treatment.   
     
     
         15 . A semiconductor device comprising:
 a first rare earth oxide layer;   a first crystalline layer being adjacent to the first rare earth oxide layer; and   a nonmagnetic layer, the first crystalline layer being disposed between the first rare earth oxide layer and the nonmagnetic layer and being oriented in a crystal surface which is the same as a crystal surface of the nonmagnetic layer.   
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein
 the first rare earth oxide layer includes at least one of Tb, Gd, Nd, Y, Sm, Pm, Tm, Sc, Ce, Eu, Er, Ho, La, Yb, Lu, Pr and Dy.   
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein
 the first crystalline layer contacts the first rare earth oxide layer.   
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein
 the first crystalline layer and the first rare earth oxide layer have the same element.   
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein
 the same element is at least one of B, P, C, Al, Mn, Si, Ta, W, Mo, Cr, Hf and Ti.   
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein
 the first crystalline layer is used as one of a storage element, a conductive line and a contact plug.