Title :
Fabrication of Fully Epitaxial Co 2Cr0.6 Fe0.4Al/MgO/Co2Cr 0.6Fe0.4 Al Magnetic Tunnel Junctions
Author :
Marukame, T. ; Ishikawa, T. ; Hakamata, S. ; Matsuda, K.-I. ; Uemura, T. ; Yamamoto, M.
Author_Institution :
Graduate Sch. of Inf. Sci. & Technol., Hokkaido Univ., Sapporo
fDate :
6/1/2007 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
Fully epitaxial magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) of Co2Cr0.6Fe0.4Al (CCFA)/MgO/CCFA with exchange biasing were fabricated. The fabricated MTJs showed clear exchange-biased tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) characteristics due to the CCFA/Ru/Co90Fe10/IrMn exchange-biased synthetic ferrimagnetic layer. The TMR characteristics were investigated as a function of in situ annealing temperature (Ta) for the upper CCFA layer. We obtained TMR ratios of 60% at room temperature (RT) and 238% at 4.2 K for MTJs with Ta of 400 degC, while those for MTJs with Ta of RT (i.e., having an as-deposited upper CCFA layer) were 17% at RT and 80% at 4.2 K. These results clearly suggest that the spin polarization of the as-deposited upper CCFA layer was significantly increased by in situ annealing
Keywords :
aluminium alloys; annealing; chromium alloys; cobalt alloys; electron spin polarisation; exchange interactions (electron); ferrimagnetic materials; ferromagnetic materials; iridium alloys; iron alloys; magnesium compounds; magnetic epitaxial layers; magnetic multilayers; manganese alloys; ruthenium; tunnelling magnetoresistance; vapour phase epitaxial growth; 293 to 298 K; 4.2 K; 400 degC; CCFA layer; Co2Cr0.6Fe0.4Al-MgO-Co2 Cr0.6Fe0.4Al-Ru-Co90 Fe10 -IrMn; TMR; epitaxial magnetic tunnel junctions; exchange-biased tunnel magnetoresistance; full-Heusler alloy film; in situ annealing; spin polarization; synthetic ferrimagnetic layer; Annealing; Chromium; Electrodes; Fabrication; Iron; Magnetic tunneling; Polarization; Temperature; Transistors; Tunneling magnetoresistance; Co-based full-Heusler alloy; epitaxial growth; half-metallic ferromagnet; magnetic tunnel junction; tunnel magnetoresistance;
Journal_Title :
Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TMAG.2007.893698