Characteristics of magnetic tunnel junctions comprising ferromagnetic amorphous NiFeSiB layers

B. S. Chun, Y. K. Kim, J. Y. Hwang, H. I. Yim, J. R. Rhee, T. W. Kim

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    3 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs), which consisted of amorphous ferromagnetic Ni16Fe62Si8B14 free layers, were investigated. NiFeSiB has a lower saturation magnetization (Ms: 800 emu/cm3) than Co90Fe10 and a higher anisotropy constant (Ku: 2700 erg/cm3) than Ni80Fe20. By increasing the free layer thickness, the tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio of up to 41% was achieved and it exhibited a much lower switching field (Hsw) than the conventionally used CoFe free layer MTJ. Furthermore, by inserting a thin CoFe layer (1 nm) at the tunnel barrier/NiFeSiB interface, the TMR ratio and switching squareness were enhanced.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)1929-1931
    Number of pages3
    JournalJournal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials
    Volume310
    Issue number2 SUPPL. PART 3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2007 Mar

    Bibliographical note

    Funding Information:
    This work was supported by the Korea Research Foundation Grant (KRF-2004-041-D00289).

    Keywords

    • Amorphous magnetic material
    • Magnetic tunnel junctions
    • Sensitivity
    • Switching field
    • Tunneling magnetoresistance

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
    • Condensed Matter Physics

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