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Title: Thermally stable perpendicular magnetic anisotropy features of Ta/TaO{sub x}/Ta/CoFeB/MgO/W stacks via TaO{sub x} underlayer insertion

Abstract

We report that a TaO{sub x} underlayer enhances the stability of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) in TaO{sub x}/Ta/CoFeB/MgO stacks during annealing; control of oxygen content in the TaO{sub x} layer is critical. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy observations revealed clear suppression of Ta atom diffusion towards the CoFeB/MgO interface or MgO regions. The TaO{sub x} underlayer possibly served as a diffusion sponge, permitting some thermally activated Ta atoms to impregnate the TaO{sub x} underlayer via a diffusion path, such as grain boundaries. We propose a possible mechanism for enhanced PMA stability based on diffusion of thermally activated Ta atoms.

Authors:
; ;  [1];  [2];  [3];  [1]
  1. Novel Functional Materials and Devices Laboratory, Research Institute for Natural Science, Department of Physics, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of)
  2. Division of Nano-Scale Semiconductor Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of)
  3. Nano Quantum Electronics Lab, Department of Electronics and Computer Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22306000
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Journal of Applied Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 116; Journal Issue: 11; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0021-8979
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY; ANISOTROPY; ANNEALING; BORON COMPOUNDS; COBALT COMPOUNDS; DIFFUSION; GRAIN BOUNDARIES; INTERFACES; IRON COMPOUNDS; LAYERS; MAGNESIUM OXIDES; MAGNETIC PROPERTIES; STABILITY; TANTALUM; TANTALUM OXIDES; TERNARY ALLOY SYSTEMS; TUNGSTEN; X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY

Citation Formats

Yang, SeungMo, Lee, JaBin, An, GwangGuk, Kim, JaeHong, Chung, WooSeong, Hong, JinPyo, and Division of Nano-Scale Semiconductor Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791. Thermally stable perpendicular magnetic anisotropy features of Ta/TaO{sub x}/Ta/CoFeB/MgO/W stacks via TaO{sub x} underlayer insertion. United States: N. p., 2014. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4895709.
Yang, SeungMo, Lee, JaBin, An, GwangGuk, Kim, JaeHong, Chung, WooSeong, Hong, JinPyo, & Division of Nano-Scale Semiconductor Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791. Thermally stable perpendicular magnetic anisotropy features of Ta/TaO{sub x}/Ta/CoFeB/MgO/W stacks via TaO{sub x} underlayer insertion. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4895709
Yang, SeungMo, Lee, JaBin, An, GwangGuk, Kim, JaeHong, Chung, WooSeong, Hong, JinPyo, and Division of Nano-Scale Semiconductor Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791. 2014. "Thermally stable perpendicular magnetic anisotropy features of Ta/TaO{sub x}/Ta/CoFeB/MgO/W stacks via TaO{sub x} underlayer insertion". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4895709.
@article{osti_22306000,
title = {Thermally stable perpendicular magnetic anisotropy features of Ta/TaO{sub x}/Ta/CoFeB/MgO/W stacks via TaO{sub x} underlayer insertion},
author = {Yang, SeungMo and Lee, JaBin and An, GwangGuk and Kim, JaeHong and Chung, WooSeong and Hong, JinPyo and Division of Nano-Scale Semiconductor Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791},
abstractNote = {We report that a TaO{sub x} underlayer enhances the stability of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) in TaO{sub x}/Ta/CoFeB/MgO stacks during annealing; control of oxygen content in the TaO{sub x} layer is critical. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy observations revealed clear suppression of Ta atom diffusion towards the CoFeB/MgO interface or MgO regions. The TaO{sub x} underlayer possibly served as a diffusion sponge, permitting some thermally activated Ta atoms to impregnate the TaO{sub x} underlayer via a diffusion path, such as grain boundaries. We propose a possible mechanism for enhanced PMA stability based on diffusion of thermally activated Ta atoms.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4895709},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22306000}, journal = {Journal of Applied Physics},
issn = {0021-8979},
number = 11,
volume = 116,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Sep 21 00:00:00 EDT 2014},
month = {Sun Sep 21 00:00:00 EDT 2014}
}