Magnetoresistance and magnetization switching characteristics of magnetic tunnel junctions with amorphous CoFeSiB single and synthetic antiferromagnet free layers

Jae Youn Hwang; Hae In Yim; Mee Yang Kim; Jang Roh Rhee; Byong Sun Chun; Young Keun Kim; Taewan Kim

doi:10.1063/1.2176144

Magnetoresistance and magnetization switching characteristics of magnetic tunnel junctions with amorphous CoFeSiB single and synthetic antiferromagnet free layers

Jae Youn Hwang, Hae In Yim, Mee Yang Kim, Jang Roh Rhee, Byong Sun Chun, Young Keun Kim, Taewan Kim

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Abstract

To obtain low switching field (Hsw) we introduced amorphous ferromagnetic Co70.5 Fe4.5 Si15 B10 single and synthetic antiferromagnet (SAF) free layers in magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs). The switching characteristics for MTJs with structures SiSi O2 Ta 45/Ru 9.5/IrMn 10/CoFe 7Al Ox CoFeSiB 7 or CoFeSiB (t) Ru 1.0/CoFeSiB (7-t) Ru 60 (in nanometer) were investigated and compared to MTJs with Co75 Fe25 and Ni80 Fe20 free layers. CoFeSiB showed a lower saturation magnetization of 560 emu cm3 and a higher anisotropy constant of 2800 erg cm3 than CoFe and NiFe, respectively. An exchange coupling energy (Jex) of -0.003 erg cm2 was observed by inserting a 1.0 nm Ru layer in between CoFeSiB layers. In the CoFeSiB single and SAF free layer MTJs, it was found that the size dependence of the Hsw originated from the lower Jex experimentally and by micromagnetic simulation based on the Landau-Lisfschitz-Gilbert equation. The CoFeSiB SAF structures showed lower Hsw than that of NiFe, CoFe, and CoFeSiB single structures. The CoFeSiB SAF structures were proved to be beneficial for the switching characteristics such as reducing the coercivity and increasing the sensitivity in micrometer- to submicrometer-sized elements.

Original language	English
Article number	08T315
Journal	Journal of Applied Physics
Volume	99
Issue number	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2176144
Publication status	Published - 2006

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Korea Research Foundation Grant (No. KRF-2005-015-C00157) funded by the Korean Government (MOEHRD).

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Physics and Astronomy

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10.1063/1.2176144

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@article{d90fda2586124f4cbad443606df07dfa,

title = "Magnetoresistance and magnetization switching characteristics of magnetic tunnel junctions with amorphous CoFeSiB single and synthetic antiferromagnet free layers",

abstract = "To obtain low switching field (Hsw) we introduced amorphous ferromagnetic Co70.5 Fe4.5 Si15 B10 single and synthetic antiferromagnet (SAF) free layers in magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs). The switching characteristics for MTJs with structures SiSi O2 Ta 45/Ru 9.5/IrMn 10/CoFe 7Al Ox CoFeSiB 7 or CoFeSiB (t) Ru 1.0/CoFeSiB (7-t) Ru 60 (in nanometer) were investigated and compared to MTJs with Co75 Fe25 and Ni80 Fe20 free layers. CoFeSiB showed a lower saturation magnetization of 560 emu cm3 and a higher anisotropy constant of 2800 erg cm3 than CoFe and NiFe, respectively. An exchange coupling energy (Jex) of -0.003 erg cm2 was observed by inserting a 1.0 nm Ru layer in between CoFeSiB layers. In the CoFeSiB single and SAF free layer MTJs, it was found that the size dependence of the Hsw originated from the lower Jex experimentally and by micromagnetic simulation based on the Landau-Lisfschitz-Gilbert equation. The CoFeSiB SAF structures showed lower Hsw than that of NiFe, CoFe, and CoFeSiB single structures. The CoFeSiB SAF structures were proved to be beneficial for the switching characteristics such as reducing the coercivity and increasing the sensitivity in micrometer- to submicrometer-sized elements.",

author = "Hwang, {Jae Youn} and Yim, {Hae In} and Kim, {Mee Yang} and Rhee, {Jang Roh} and Chun, {Byong Sun} and Kim, {Young Keun} and Taewan Kim",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the Korea Research Foundation Grant (No. KRF-2005-015-C00157) funded by the Korean Government (MOEHRD).",

year = "2006",

doi = "10.1063/1.2176144",

language = "English",

volume = "99",

journal = "Journal of Applied Physics",

issn = "0021-8979",

publisher = "American Institute of Physics",

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T1 - Magnetoresistance and magnetization switching characteristics of magnetic tunnel junctions with amorphous CoFeSiB single and synthetic antiferromagnet free layers

AU - Hwang, Jae Youn

AU - Yim, Hae In

AU - Kim, Mee Yang

AU - Rhee, Jang Roh

AU - Chun, Byong Sun

AU - Kim, Young Keun

AU - Kim, Taewan

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the Korea Research Foundation Grant (No. KRF-2005-015-C00157) funded by the Korean Government (MOEHRD).

PY - 2006

Y1 - 2006

N2 - To obtain low switching field (Hsw) we introduced amorphous ferromagnetic Co70.5 Fe4.5 Si15 B10 single and synthetic antiferromagnet (SAF) free layers in magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs). The switching characteristics for MTJs with structures SiSi O2 Ta 45/Ru 9.5/IrMn 10/CoFe 7Al Ox CoFeSiB 7 or CoFeSiB (t) Ru 1.0/CoFeSiB (7-t) Ru 60 (in nanometer) were investigated and compared to MTJs with Co75 Fe25 and Ni80 Fe20 free layers. CoFeSiB showed a lower saturation magnetization of 560 emu cm3 and a higher anisotropy constant of 2800 erg cm3 than CoFe and NiFe, respectively. An exchange coupling energy (Jex) of -0.003 erg cm2 was observed by inserting a 1.0 nm Ru layer in between CoFeSiB layers. In the CoFeSiB single and SAF free layer MTJs, it was found that the size dependence of the Hsw originated from the lower Jex experimentally and by micromagnetic simulation based on the Landau-Lisfschitz-Gilbert equation. The CoFeSiB SAF structures showed lower Hsw than that of NiFe, CoFe, and CoFeSiB single structures. The CoFeSiB SAF structures were proved to be beneficial for the switching characteristics such as reducing the coercivity and increasing the sensitivity in micrometer- to submicrometer-sized elements.

AB - To obtain low switching field (Hsw) we introduced amorphous ferromagnetic Co70.5 Fe4.5 Si15 B10 single and synthetic antiferromagnet (SAF) free layers in magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs). The switching characteristics for MTJs with structures SiSi O2 Ta 45/Ru 9.5/IrMn 10/CoFe 7Al Ox CoFeSiB 7 or CoFeSiB (t) Ru 1.0/CoFeSiB (7-t) Ru 60 (in nanometer) were investigated and compared to MTJs with Co75 Fe25 and Ni80 Fe20 free layers. CoFeSiB showed a lower saturation magnetization of 560 emu cm3 and a higher anisotropy constant of 2800 erg cm3 than CoFe and NiFe, respectively. An exchange coupling energy (Jex) of -0.003 erg cm2 was observed by inserting a 1.0 nm Ru layer in between CoFeSiB layers. In the CoFeSiB single and SAF free layer MTJs, it was found that the size dependence of the Hsw originated from the lower Jex experimentally and by micromagnetic simulation based on the Landau-Lisfschitz-Gilbert equation. The CoFeSiB SAF structures showed lower Hsw than that of NiFe, CoFe, and CoFeSiB single structures. The CoFeSiB SAF structures were proved to be beneficial for the switching characteristics such as reducing the coercivity and increasing the sensitivity in micrometer- to submicrometer-sized elements.

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Magnetoresistance and magnetization switching characteristics of magnetic tunnel junctions with amorphous CoFeSiB single and synthetic antiferromagnet free layers

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