Microstructural and magnetic properties of CoFeZr films and the tunnel magnetoresistance behaviors of the magnetic tunnel junctions with amorphous CoFeZr ferromagnetic layers

Jin Oh Song, Seong Rae Lee

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    5 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    We investigated the composition dependence of the microstructure and magnetic properties of Co90Fe10-Zr film and the thermal and structural stability of MTJs with CoFeZr layers. As the Zr concentration in the Co90Fe10-Zr film increased, the grain size decreased rapidly, and the alloy films became a homogeneous amorphous phase when the concentration of Zr exceeded 15 at%. The TMR ratio of the MTJs with Co90Fe10 layers decreased when the samples were annealed at a temperature above 300 °C, whereas that of the MTJs with amorphous CoFeZr layers only started to decrease when they were annealed at a temperature above 350 °C. The MTJs with CoFeZr layers retained a significant TMR value of 28%, even after annealing at 450 °C. The enhanced structural quality of the interfaces improved the thermal stability of the MTJs with amorphous CoFeZr layers.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)1923-1925
    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 grants from the Korea Research Foundation (KRF-2004-005-C00068) and the Basic Research Program of the KOSEF (R-01-2005-000-11188-0).

    Keywords

    • Amorphous CoFeZr
    • MTJ
    • Microstructure
    • Stability

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
    • Condensed Matter Physics

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