Low-temperature magnetic characterization of optimum and etch-damaged in-plane magnetic tunnel junctions

Journal Article · Sat Sep 21 00:00:00 EDT 2013 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4820457· OSTI ID:22218009

Kan, Jimmy J.; Gottwald, Matthias; Fullerton, Eric E. ^[1]; Lee, Kangho; Kang, Seung H. ^[2]

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1. Center for Magnetic Recording Research, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093 (United States)
2. Advanced Technology, Qualcomm, Inc., San Diego, California 92121 (United States)

We describe low-temperature characterization of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) patterned by reactive ion etching for spin-transfer-torque magnetic random access memory. Magnetotransport measurements of typical MTJs show increasing tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) and larger coercive fields as temperature is decreased down to 10 K. However, MTJs selected from the high-resistance population of an MTJ array exhibit stable intermediate magnetic states when measured at low temperature and show TMR roll-off below 100 K. These non-ideal low-temperature behaviors arise from edge damage during the etch process and can have negative impacts on thermal stability of the MTJs.

• OSTI ID: 22218009
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 114, Issue 11; Other Information: (c) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
COERCIVE FORCE
DAMAGE
ETCHING
INTERFACES
IONS
MAGNETISM
MAGNETORESISTANCE
SPUTTERING
STABILITY
SUPERCONDUCTING JUNCTIONS
TUNNEL EFFECT