Patent ID: 7612969

Claim:
A magnetic memory device comprising: a pinning layer, a pinned layer, and an insulation layer sequentially stacked on a semiconductor substrate; a ferromagnetic free layer disposed on the insulation layer; a capping layer disposed on the ferromagnetic free layer; and an MR (magnetoresistance) enhancing layer interposed between and in direct physical contact with both the ferromagnetic free layer and the capping layer so as to prevent AFC (anti-ferromagnetic coupling) from occurring between the MR enhancing layer and the free layer, wherein the MR enhancing layer is formed of at least one anti-ferromagnetic material, wherein the MR enhancing layer is formed to a thickness of about 3 to about 10 Å using at least one material selected from the group consisting of iridium manganese (IrMn), platinum manganese (PtMn), and iron manganese (FeMn).