Tunnel magnetoresistance of magnetic junctions with cubic symmetry of the layers

A tunnel magnetic junction is considered with magnetic hard and magnetic soft layers of cubic symmetry. The magnetic switching of the layers is analyzed for a magnetic field perpendicular to the initial magnetizations. In such a situation, an additional peak in the tunnel magnetoresistance ratio appears at the magnetic field value that is substantially lower than the anisotropy field of the soft layer.     

Spin-polarized current and tunnel magnetoresistance in heterogeneous single-barrier magnetic tunnel junctions

Current in heterogeneous tunnel junctions is studied in the framework of the parabolic conduction-band model. The developed model of the electron tunneling takes explicitly into account the difference of effective masses between ferromagnetic and insulating layers and between conduction subbands. Calculations for Fe/MgO/Fe-like structures have shown the essential impact of effective mass differences in regions (constituents) of the structure on the tunnel magnetoresistance of the junction.     

Output voltage calculations in double barrier magnetic tunnel junctions with asymmetric voltage behavior

In this paper we study the asymmetric voltage behavior (AVB) of the tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) for single and double barrier magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) in range of a quasi-classical free electron model. Numerical calculations of the TMR–V curves, output voltages and I–V characteristics for negative and positive values of applied voltages were carried out using MTJs with CoFeB/MgO interfaces as an example. Asymmetry of the experimental TMR–V curves is explained by different values of the minority and majority Fermi wave vectors for the left and right sides of the tunnel barrier, which arises due to different annealing regimes. Electron tunneling in DMTJs was simulated in two ways: (i) Coherent tunneling, where the DMTJ is modeled as one tunnel system and (ii) consecutive tunneling, where the DMTJ is modeled by two single barrier junctions connected in series.     

Bulk—like contribution of tunnel magnetoresistance in magnetic tunnel junctions

We have demonstrated that the bulk-like contribution to tunnelling magnetoresistance (TMR) exists in the magnetic tunnel junctions, and is determined by the tunnelling characteristic length of the ferromagnetic electrodes. In the experiment, a wedge-shaped CoFe layer is inserted at the interface between the insulating barrier and the reference electrode. It is found that TMR ratio increases from 18% without CoFe layer to a saturation value of 26.5% when the CoFe thickness is about 2.3 nm. The tunnelling characteristic length, l_{tc}, can be obtained to be about 0.8 nm for CoFe materials.     

Room-temperature magnetoresistance in CoFeB/STO/CoFeB magnetic tunnel junctions

A series of Co₄₀Fe₄₀B₂₀/SrTiO₃/Co₄₀Fe₄₀B₂₀ magnetic tunnel junctions with a bottom-pinned synthetic antiferromagnet have been prepared by sputtering. Devices optimally annealed at 325 °C exhibit an exchange bias of about 65 mT, and a tunnel magnetoresistance of 2%. The smaller than predicted effect is attributed to the lack of epitaxy between the crystallized CoFeB electrodes and the SrTiO₃ (STO) barrier, due to poor crystal quality of the barrier layer. Unlike MgO, well-crystallized, oriented STO does not grow on amorphous Co₄₀Fe₄₀B₂₀.     

高磁电阻磁性隧道结的几种微制备方法研究

利用金属掩模法优化了制备磁性隧道结的实验和工艺条件，金属掩模的狭缝宽度为100 μm. 采用4 nm厚的Co₇₅Fe₂₅为铁磁电极和10或08 nm厚的铝氧化物 为势垒膜， 直接制备出了室温隧穿磁电阻（TMR）为30%—48％的磁性隧道结，其结构为Ta(5 nm)/Cu(25 nm)/Ni₇₉Fe₂₁(5 nm)/Ir₂₂Mn₇₈(10 nm)/ Co₇₅Fe₂₅ (4 nm)/Al(08 nm)-O/Co₇₅Fe₂₅(4 nm)/Ni₇₉Fe ₂₁(20 nm)/Ta(5 nm).同时，利用刻槽打孔法和去胶掀离法两种光刻技术并结合Ar离子束刻蚀及化学反应刻 蚀，制备出面积在4 μm×8 μm—20 μm×40 μm、具有室温高TMR和低电阻的高质量磁性 隧道结.300 ℃ 退火前后其室温TMR可分别达到22% 和50%.研究结果表明，采用光刻中的刻 槽打孔或去胶掀离工艺方法制备的小尺寸磁性隧道结，可用于研制磁动态随机存储器和磁读 出头及其他传感器件的磁敏单元. 关键词： 磁性隧道结 隧穿磁电阻 金属掩模法 光刻法     

具有纳米氧化层的磁性隧道结的热稳定性研究

研究发现在磁隧道结的反铁磁层和被钉扎铁磁层之间插入一层纳米氧化层，可以使磁隧道结的退火温度增加了40℃，即明显地提高了磁隧道结的温度稳定性.通过卢瑟福背散射实验直接观察到产生这一效应的原因是该纳米氧化层有效地抑制了Mn元素在退火过程中的扩散，从而使TMR值在较高的退火温度下得以保持. 关键词： 磁性隧道结 隧穿磁电阻 热稳定性 纳米氧化层     

Electrical conductance properties for magnetic tunnel junctions with MgO barriers

We measured inelastic electron tunneling (IET) spectra and conductance for MgO tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) films to obtain information on the ferromagnetic/barrier layer interface. The IET spectra showed the difference between amorphous and crystalline structures in the barrier. In the magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) with a crystalline barrier the IET spectra indicated an Mg-O phonon peak at a low bias voltage by measurement with a parallel magnetization configuration. On the other hand, no peak was observed in the MTJ with an amorphous barrier.     

磁性隧道结的隧穿磁电阻效应及其研究进展

文章概括地介绍了磁性隧道结（MTJs）的隧穿磁电阻（TMR）效应的产生机理和特点,主要用途和研究背景以及最近几年的研究进展和现状.对用Al2O3和MgO做绝缘势垒层的MTJs进行了对比,指出用MgO做绝缘势垒层的MTJs的优点.文章还阐明了交换偏置自旋阀（EB-SV）型MTJs的问题和不足,以及新兴的赝自旋阀（PSV）型MTJs的优势.文章最后总结了用于MTJs的各种铁磁层和绝缘势垒层材料,并对TMR材料今后的研究和开发作了展望.     

Non-equilibrium Green's function approach to the quasiparticle transport and magnetoresistance in hybrid magnetic tunnel junctions

A generalized approach to study quasiparticle transport across hybrid magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) is formulated using the non-equilibrium Green's function technique. This formalism allows for arbitrary thicknesses of the electrodes and the central scattering region comprising of materials with multiple electronic bands, and incorporates the many body interactions present in the electrode regions. While the method can be used to study the transport characteristics of various types of MTJs, we have used it to study the tunneling characteristics and magnetoresistance (MR) of MTJs in which s-f interaction is present at the electrode layers. It is also used to study the transport characteristics of MTJs with hybrid electrodes and double barrier. The magnetic correlation present in the electrodes is found to strongly influence the TMR. Eventhough the magnetic correlation in general suppress the TMR, the TMR is found to be enhanced strongly for certain band occupations of the electrodes. We observe a fall of TMR with increase in the number of layers in the insulating region. Band occupation of the metallic layer present at the middle of the insulating layers in the double barrier MTJ is found to be important in deciding its tunnel characteristics. Origin of the different types of behavior of TMR is analyzed in terms of the spin-dependent tunnel currents.     

Magnetoresistance and spin-transfer torque in magnetic tunnel junctions

We comment on both recent progress and lingering puzzles related to research on magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs). MTJs are already being used in applications such as magnetic-field sensors in the read heads of disk drives, and they may also be the first device geometry in which spin-torque effects are applied to manipulate magnetic dynamics, in order to make non-volatile magnetic random access memory. However, there remain many unanswered questions about such basic properties as the magnetoresistance of MTJs, how their properties change as a function of tunnel-barrier thickness and applied bias, and what are the magnitude and direction of the spin-transfer-torque vector induced by a tunnel current.     

Flux-dependent tunnel magnetoresistance in parallel-coupled double quantum dots

The tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) in an Aharonov–Bohm interferometer with two quantum dots inserted in its arms, which is attached to ferromagnetic leads with parallel and antiparallel magnetic configurations, is theoretically studied by means of the nonequilibrium Green’s function technique. We pay particular attention to the influence of an applied magnetic flux on the characteristics of the TMR. In the linear response regime (the external bias voltage V→0) and when the electrons are free from intradot Coulomb interaction, the magnetic flux only changes the peak or dip positions of the TMR. But in the presence of intradot Coulomb repulsion, its peak or dip positions, signs and magnitude are tuned by the magnetic flux. For the nonlinear response regime (V≠0), the TMR is symmetric with respect to zero bias voltage and the magnetic flux can influence its magnitude, signs and the peak positions regardless of the existence of intradot Coulomb interaction. The behavior of the TMR is interpreted in terms of the quantum interference (Fano) effect.     

Hydrogenated silicene based magnetic junction with improved tunneling magnetoresistance and spin-filtering efficiency

In this paper, hydrogenation is used for the generation of band gap in silicene and the hydrogenated silicene is then studied for its spintronic application. Upon hydrogenation, silicene transforms into a wide band gap material with a band gap of 3.32 eV. Parameters like magneto-resistance and spin-filtering efficiency of magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) with CrO₂ as semi-metallic electrodes and hydrogenated silicene as scattering region are found to increase compared to pristine silicene as scattering region. The simulation results show that the magneto-resistance of hydrogenated silicene remains above 85% (higher than the pristine counterpart) for the entire bias range. In addition, the spin-filtering efficiency in hydrogenated silicene reaches a value as high as 96% whereas in case of pristine silicene it remains below 90% for the entire bias range.     

Structural and magnetic changes in MgO-based magnetic tunneling junctions during the early stages of annealing

We have studied the effects of the initial stages of the annealing on magnetic tunnel junctions with MgO barriers and CoFeB electrodes. We report changes in the resistance-voltage characteristics and tunneling magnetoresistance for patterned transport junctions, and correlate these with the observed changes in the structural and magnetic interface morphologies determined by soft X-ray resonant magnetic scattering from sheet films from the same wafer. An important feature of our experiment was that all measurements were carried out within the soft X-ray diffractometer on samples from the same wafer subjected to simultaneous annealing cycles, so that our magnetotransport and scattering data are directly comparable. The as-grown junction showed a tunneling magnetoresistance ratio of 5.5%, and a specific barrier resistance of . A anneal for 1 h resulted in a small rise in barrier resistance and magnetoresistance coupled with a smoothing of the magnetic interfaces, consistent with the healing of barrier defects and removal of tunneling hot-spots. A subsequent anneal for a further hour resulted in further smoothing, and a rise in the magnetoresistance ratio to 72%, and a much weaker dependence of the parallel state resistance upon voltage bias, indicating the development of crystallographic texture in the electrodes. Annealing to yielded a further decrease in magnetic interface width (the quadrature sum of roughness and intermixing length scales). The reduction in interface width for Co species occurred at higher temperatures than for Fe throughout the experiments.     

Magnetization reversal mechanism of magnetic tunnel junctions

Using the ion-beam-sputtering technique,we have fabricated Fe/Al2O3/Fe magnetic tunnelling junctions (MTJs).We have observed double-peaked shapes of curves,which have a level summit and a symmetrical feature,showing the magnetoresistance of the junction as a function of applied field.We have measured the tunnel conductance of MTJs which have insulating layers of different thicknesses.We have studied the dependence of the magnetoresistance of MTJs on tunnel conductance.The microstructures of hard-and soft-magnetic layers and interfaces of ferromagnets and insulators were probed.Analysing the influence of MJT microstructures,including those having clusters or/and granules in magnetic and non-magnetic films,a magnetization reversal mechanism(MRM) is proposed,which suggests that the MRM of tunnelling junctions may be explained by using a group-by-group reversal model of magnetic moments of the mesoscopical particles.We discuss the influence of MTJ microstructures,including those with clusters or/and granules in the ferromagnetic and non-magnetic films,on the MRM.     

Tunneling magnetoresistance of the double spin-filter junctions at nonzero bias

A recent theoretical estimation indicated that the NM/FI/FI/NM double spin-filter junction (DSFJ, here the NM and FI represent the nonmagnetic electrode and the ferromagnetic insulator (semiconductor) spacer, respectively) could have very high tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) at zero bias. To meet the requirement in research and application of the magnetoresistance devices, we have calculated the dependences of tunneling magnetoresistance of DSFJ on the bias (voltage), the thicknesses of ferromagnetic insulators (semiconductors) and the average barrier height. Our results show that except its very high value, the TMR of DSFJ does not decrease monotonously and rapidly with rising bias, but increase slowly at first and decrease then after having reached a maximum value. This feature is in distinct contrast to the ordinary magnetic tunnel junction FM/NI/FM (FM and NI denote the ferromagnetic electrode and the nonmagnetic insulator (semiconductor) spacer, respectively), and is of benefit to the use of DSFJ as a magnetoresistance device.     

Temperature and bias voltage dependence of Co/Pd multilayer-based magnetic tunnel junctions with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy

Temperature- and bias voltage-dependent transport measurements of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with perpendicularly magnetized Co/Pd electrodes are presented. Magnetization measurements of the Co/Pd multilayers are performed to characterize the electrodes. The effects of the Co layer thickness in the Co/Pd bilayers, the annealing temperature, the Co thickness at the MgO barrier interface, and the number of bilayers on the tunneling magneto resistance (TMR) effect are investigated. TMR-ratios of about 11% at room temperature and 18.5% at 13 K are measured and two well-defined switching fields are observed. The results are compared to measurements of MTJs with Co-Fe-B electrodes and in-plane anisotropy.     

Magnetization switching driven by spin-transfer-torque in high-TMR magnetic tunnel junctions

This paper presents a numerical study of magnetization switching driven by spin-polarized current in high-TMR magnetic tunnel junctions (TMR>100%). The current density distribution throughout the free-layer is computed dynamically, by modeling the ferromagnet/insulator/ferromagnet trilayer as a series of parallel resistances. The validity of the main hypothesis, which states that the current flows perpendicular to the sample plane, has been verified by numerically solving the Poisson equation. Our results show that the nonuniform current density distribution is a source of asymmetry to the switching process. Furthermore, we observe that the reversal mechanisms are characterized by well-defined localized pre-switching oscillation modes.     

Temperature dependence of transport properties in ZnS-based magnetic tunnel junctions

We have recently evidenced a junction magnetoresistance (JMR) signal of about 5% in magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with ZnS as tunnel barrier layer. The MTJ were grown by magnetron sputtering on Si (1 1 1) substrate at room temperature and have the following structure: Fe_6 nmCu_30 nmCoFe_1.8 nmRu_0.8 nmCoFe_3 nmZnS_2 nmCoFe_1 nmFe_4 nmCu_10 nmRu_3 nm.

The hard magnetic bottom electrode consists of an artificial antiferromagnetic structure in which the rigidity is ensured by the antiferromagnetic exchange coupling between two FeCo layers through an Ru spacer layer. The magneto-transport for these MTJ has been studied at various temperatures to gain understanding of the transport mechanism in such junctions. A strong and linear increase of the JMR is observed as the temperature is decreased to reach 10% at a low temperature, while the conductance decreases with decreasing temperature. To understand the mechanism at the origin of these behaviors, the contribution of magnon is taken into account. It is concluded that the observed behaviors are not only related to the magnon contribution but that resonant low-level states inside the barrier can assist the tuneling transport.     

Co基磁性隧道结势垒结构的电子全息研究

利用高分辨电子显微术和电子全息方法研究了Co基磁性隧道结退火热处理前后的微观结构及相应势垒层结构的变化. 研究结果表明，退火处理可以明显地改善势垒层和顶电极、底电极之间的界面质量，改进势垒层本身的结构. 这与该磁性隧道结经过280℃退火处理后，隧道磁电阻值大大增加是一致的. 关键词： 磁性隧道结 隧道磁电阻 高分辨电子显微学 电子全息