PERPENDICULAR SPIN TRANSFER TORQUE MEMORY (PSTTM) DEVICES WITH ENHANCED THERMAL STABILITY AND METHODS TO FORM THE SAME

A pSTTM device includes a first electrode and a second electrode, a free magnet between the first electrode and the second electrode, a fixed magnet between the first electrode and the second electrode, a tunnel barrier between the free magnet and the fixed magnet, a coupling layer between the free magnet and the first electrode, where the coupling layer comprises a metal and oxygen and a follower between the coupling layer and the first electrode, wherein the follower comprises a magnetic skyrmion. The skyrmion follower may be either magnetically and electrically coupled to the free magnet to form a coupled system of switching magnetic layers. In an embodiment, the skyrmion follower has a weaker magnetic anisotropy than an anisotropy of the free magnet.