Spin-orbit torques in laminated tungsten multilayers with nominally doped oxygen

Spin-orbit torque (SOT) control of magnetization is being rapidly positioned for energy-efficient computing across various memory hierarchies. Concurrently, the study of intrinsic and extrinsic factors, such as doping, to enhance SOT is of considerable scientific interest. Here, we introduce 2% nominally doped oxygen via postdeposition oxygen flow in {β}-phase tungsten, one of the most promising SOT materials, to create laminated [W/O] structures. Incorporating them into annealed multilayer stacks compatible with industrial production, we find {~}50% enhancement in spin-Hall angle with minimal compromise in intrinsic spin-Hall conductivity. Furthermore, we integrate [W/O] into SOT magnetic tunnel junctions, achieving {~}30% reduction in critical switching current densities while maintaining a relatively large tunnel magnetoresistance (>135%). Our findings highlight that engineering nominal doping in established SOT materials offers an attractive alternative for accelerating materials development for SOT magnetic random-access memory (MRAM).