Tuning Magnetic Microstructures of Reference Layer in Magnetic Tunneling Junctions

Author

Yuan, L. ; Lin, Y.S. ; Wang, Dexin ; Liou, S.H.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Phys. & Astron., Nebraska Univ., Lincoln, NE

Volume

43

Issue

6

fYear

2007

fDate

6/1/2007 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

2788

Lastpage

2790

Abstract

Magnetic microstructures in the reference layer in magnetic tunneling junctions (MTJs) are tuned by a reversal field under ambient conditions to investigate their effects on the magnetoresistance (MR) and the exchange coupling field (H_E) between the reference layer and the free layer. Magnetization changes in the reference layer can be probed by measuring minor MR loops. The results show the H_E of the minor MR loops versus the applied reversal field changes from negative to positive and crosses zero. These results can be explained by the magnetic inhomogeneities at the interface between anti-ferromagnetic/pinned-ferromagnetic layers, which causes the partial magnetization reversal in the reference layer

Keywords

alumina; antiferromagnetic materials; boron alloys; chromium alloys; cobalt alloys; exchange interactions (electron); ferromagnetic materials; iron alloys; magnetic domains; magnetic multilayers; magnetic structure; manganese alloys; micromagnetics; platinum alloys; ruthenium; ruthenium alloys; tantalum alloys; tunnelling magnetoresistance; MTJ free layer; Ru-CoFeB-RuTa-CoFeB-Al₂O₃-CoFeB-Ru-FeCo-CrMnPt; TMR; antiferromagnetic-pinned-ferromagnetic layer interface; exchange coupling field; magnetic inhomogeneities; magnetic microstructures; magnetic tunneling junction reference layer; magnetization; magnetization reversal; minor magnetoresistance loops; multidomain formation; reversal field; tunneling magnetoresistance; Antiferromagnetic materials; Couplings; Magnetic devices; Magnetic field measurement; Magnetic heads; Magnetic materials; Magnetic separation; Magnetic tunneling; Magnetization; Micromagnetics; Exchange coupling; magnetic microstructure; magnetic tunneling junction;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TMAG.2007.893691

Filename

4202834