Low resistance magnetic tunnel junctions with MgO wedge barrier

We investigated the dependence of tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR), the resistance area (RA) product, crystallographic structure, the interlayer exchange coupling (IEC) and the coercive (Hc) fields in Co40Fe40B20/MgO/Co40Fe40B20 exchange biased spin valves on the Ar partial pressure, in the range from...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of physics. Conference series 2010-01, Vol.200 (5), p.052032
Main Authors: Wrona, J, Langer, J, Ocker, B, Maass, W, Kanak, J, Stobiecki, T, Powroźnik, W
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Coercivity
Crystal structure
Crystallography
Deposition
Interlayers
Low resistance
Magnesium oxide
Magnetoresistivity
Partial pressure
Physics
Spin valves
Texture
Tunnel junctions
Tunnel magnetoresistance
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Summary:We investigated the dependence of tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR), the resistance area (RA) product, crystallographic structure, the interlayer exchange coupling (IEC) and the coercive (Hc) fields in Co40Fe40B20/MgO/Co40Fe40B20 exchange biased spin valves on the Ar partial pressure, in the range from 1 mTorr to 15 mTorr, during the MgO sputtering. For all the metallic layers a linear dynamic deposition (LDD) with a constant wafer velocity was used, whereas for the MgO deposition a LDD wedge technology with gradient velocity. The crystallographic texture of MgO(001), IEC and Hc fields, TMR and RA significantly depend on the Ar partial pressure. We found that high Ar partial pressure (above 5.6 mTorr) resulted in weaker (001) texture, lower interplanar distances of the MgO barrier and higher IEC field. Low Ar partial pressure gives smoother MgO surfaces and provides good barrier quality which results in higher TMR and RA values
ISSN:1742-6596
1742-6588
1742-6596
DOI:10.1088/1742-6596/200/5/052032