Thermal and electrical stability behavior of a magnetic tunnel junction with a new Zr-alloyed Al-oxide barrier

Author

Choi, Chul-Min ; Lee, Seong-Rae

Author_Institution

Div. of Mater. Sci. & Eng., Korea Univ., Seoul, South Korea

Volume

40

Issue

4

fYear

2004

fDate

7/1/2004 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

2281

Lastpage

2283

Abstract

The thermal and electrical stability of a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) with a Zr-alloyed Al-oxide (ZrAl-oxide) tunnel barrier were investigated. A significant tunneling magnetic resistance (TMR) value of 10% was maintained in the MTJ with a ZrAl-oxide barrier (9.89 at.% Zr) annealed at 450°C. The breakdown voltage of 1.75 V was highest for the MTJ with a 9.89 at.% Zr-alloyed Al-oxide barrier. The quality of the barrier material microstructure in the pre-oxidation state had a dominant effect on the thermal and electrical stability of the MTJ. In addition, plasma oxidation of an ultra-thin 0.6-nm-thick ZrAl barrier led to an MTJ with 8% TMR and a junction resistance × area (RA) of 0.72 MΩμm².

Keywords

aluminium alloys; amorphous magnetic materials; diffusion barriers; magnetic annealing; magnetic tunnelling; micromagnetics; thermal stability; zirconium alloys; 0.6 nm; 1.75 V; 450 C; ZrAlO; amorphous Zr-alloyed Al-oxide barrier; barrier material microstructure; electrical stability; junction resistance; magnetic tunnel junction; plasma oxidation; pre-oxidation state; thermal stability; tunneling magnetic resistance; Annealing; Electric resistance; Magnetic materials; Magnetic tunneling; Microstructure; Oxidation; Plasma materials processing; Plasma stability; Thermal stability; Zirconium; Amorphous Zr-alloyed Al-oxide barrier; magnetic tunnel junction; thermal and electrical stability;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TMAG.2004.830216

Filename

1325478