Title :
Antiferromagnetic Coupling in Sputtered MgO Tunnel Junctions With Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy
Author :
Nistor, Lavinia E. ; Rodmacq, Bernard ; Auffret, Stéphane ; Schuhl, Alain ; Dieny, Bernard
Author_Institution :
SPINTEC CEA/CNRS/UJF/INPG, INAC-CEA Grenoble, Grenoble, France
Abstract :
Antiferromagnetic coupling between magnetic electrodes has been observed in non-epitaxial perpendicularly magnetized MgO tunnel junctions. This coupling becomes less negative with increasing annealing temperature up to 375degC. This can be possibly related to homogeneization of oxygen in the barrier and de-oxidation of the magnetic electrodes. However, the evolution of coupling field with both barrier and electrode thickness doesn´t agree with existing coupling theories. Similar structures with in-plane magnetized electrodes exhibit classical ferromagnetic coupling.
Keywords :
annealing; antiferromagnetic materials; magnesium compounds; magnetic tunnelling; perpendicular magnetic anisotropy; sputtered coatings; MgO; annealing; antiferromagnetic coupling; classical ferromagnetic coupling; deoxidation; electrode thickness; homogeneization; magnetic electrodes; nonepitaxial perpendicularly magnetized tunnel junctions; perpendicular magnetic anisotropy; sputtered deposition; Antiferromagnetic coupling; magnetic tunnel junctions; perpendicular magnetic anisotropy; thermal annealing;
Journal_Title :
Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TMAG.2009.2025519
