Patent ID: 7666467

Claim:
A method, comprising: forming a tunnel barrier selected from the group of tunnel barriers consisting of MgO and Mg—ZnO; forming first and second amorphous ferromagnetic layers in proximity with respective underlayers by depositing Co and at least one other element on each of the underlayers, wherein the amorphous layers and the tunnel barrier are formed in proximity to one another to permit spin-polarized current to pass between the first and second amorphous layers through the tunnel barrier, thereby forming a magnetic tunnel junction, the magnetic tunnel junction having a tunnel magnetoresistance of at least 100% at room temperature; and forming in proximity with the second amorphous layer at least one of the following: i) an antiferromagnetic layer that exchange biases the second amorphous magnetic layer, and ii) an additional magnetic layer and an antiferromagnetic coupling layer in proximity with the second amorphous magnetic layer, so that the additional magnetic layer, the coupling layer, and the second amorphous magnetic layer form a synthetic antiferromagnet reference layer, wherein the coupling layer couples the second amorphous magnetic layer and the additional magnetic layer.