A magnetic device and method for providing the magnetic device are described. The magnetic device includes magnetic junctions and spin-orbit interaction (SO) active layer(s). The magnetic junction includes free and pinned layers separated by a nonmagnetic spacer layer. The free layer has a free layer perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) energy greater than a free layer out-of-plane demagnetization energy. The free layer also includes a diluted magnetic layer that has a PMA greater than its out-of-plane demagnetization energy. The diluted magnetic layer includes magnetic material(s) and nonmagnetic material(s) and has an exchange stiffness that is at least eighty percent of an exchange stiffness for the magnetic material(s). The SO active layer(s) are adjacent to the free layer. The SO active layer(s) carry a current in-plane and exert a SO torque on the free layer due to the current. The free layer is switchable between stable magnetic states using the SO torque.