Oxygen-mediated Mn diffusion in magnetic tunnel junctions comprising a nano-oxide layer

Author

Boeve, Hans ; Vanhelmont, Frederik ; Zalm, Peer C.

Author_Institution

Philips Res., Eindhoven, Netherlands

Volume

40

Issue

4

fYear

2004

fDate

7/1/2004 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

2278

Lastpage

2280

Abstract

Mn diffusion toward the tunnel barrier in the hard layer system of a magnetic tunnel junction is recognized as the limitation for the temperature stability. In a series of experiments, a nano-oxide layer (NOL) was included into the hard layer as a diffusion barrier. The tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio has been monitored and interpreted as a function of anneal temperature, in combination with Auger analysis. At elevated anneal temperature, a more pronounced TMR decay was observed that originates in a different diffusion mechanism for Mn atoms, compared to tunnel junctions without NOL.

Keywords

Auger electron spectra; Auger electron spectroscopy; diffusion barriers; magnetic annealing; magnetic transition temperature; manganese; nanostructured materials; tunnelling magnetoresistance; Auger analysis; Mn; TMR decay; TMR ratio; anneal temperature; diffusion barrier; diffusion mechanism; hard layer system; magnetic tunnel junctions; magnetoresistive random access memories; nano-oxide layer; oxygen-mediated Mn diffusion; temperature stability; tunnel barrier; tunnel magnetoresistance; Annealing; Antiferromagnetic materials; Atomic layer deposition; Giant magnetoresistance; Magnetic analysis; Magnetic tunneling; Plasma temperature; Random access memory; Stability; Tunneling magnetoresistance; MRAMs; MTJ; Magnetic tunnel junction; NOL; magnetoresistive random access memories; nano-oxide layer; temperature stability;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TMAG.2004.830433

Filename

1325477