Patent ID: 7829963

Claim:
A MTJ element in a magnetic device, comprising; (a) a seed layer formed on a substrate wherein said seed layer comprises: (1) a lower metal layer having a first composition; (2) a middle layer with a second composition and made of a metal or alloy having an electronegativity less than Ni, Fe, and Co; and (3) an upper metal or alloy layer having a third composition wherein the first, second, and third compositions differ from each other and the lower metal layer, middle layer, and upper metal layer in said seed layer all promote a <111> crystal growth in overlying layers in the MTJ element; (b) an anti-ferromagnetic (AFM) layer formed on the seed layer; (c) a pinned layer formed on the AFM layer; (d) a tunnel barrier layer formed on the pinned layer; (e) a free layer formed on the tunnel barrier layer; and (f) a cap layer formed on the free layer.