Interface-Dependent Spin-Reorientation Energy Barrier in Fe/MgO(001) Thin Film

Author

Choi, Heechae ; Lee, Eung-Kwan ; Cho, Sung Beom ; Yoo, Dong Su ; Chung, Yong-Chae

Author_Institution

Dept. of Mater. Sci. & Eng., Hanyang Univ., Seoul, South Korea

Volume

32

Issue

9

fYear

2011

Firstpage

1287

Lastpage

1289

Abstract

Using the density-functional-theory-based atomic modeling, the stable interface structure and the resultant magnetocrystalline anisotropy (MCA) of the Fe/MgO(001) for magnetic random access memory have been studied. The most stable surface structure of Fe/MgO(001) thin-film system was found to be either defect free or possessing oxygen vacancies in a c(2 ×1) periodicity. The formation of the oxygen vacancies in c(2 ×1) periodicity on MgO(001) surface reduced the MCA of Fe layer from 1.38 to 0.31 meV/atom. The reduced MCA is originated from the filling of the minority states of the Fe orbital below Fermi level.

Keywords

Fermi level; MRAM devices; density functional theory; ferromagnetic materials; interface structure; iron; magnesium compounds; magnetic anisotropy; magnetic thin films; spin dynamics; surface structure; Fe-MgO; Fermi level; MCA; MgO; defect free; density-functional-theory-based atomic modeling; interface-dependent spin-reorientation energy barrier; magnetic random access memory; minority states; oxygen vacancy; periodicity; resultant magnetocrystalline anisotropy; stable interface structure; surface structure; thin film; thin-film system; Atomic layer deposition; Chemicals; Iron; Junctions; Magnetic tunneling; Magnetization; Tunneling magnetoresistance; Density functional theory; Fe/MgO(001); interface structure; perpendicular magnetic anisotropy;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electron Device Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0741-3106

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LED.2011.2160148

Filename

5960764