Magnetic properties of epitaxial Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} films with various crystal orientations and tunnel magnetoresistance effect at room temperature
- Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Kita13 Nishi8, Kitak-ku, Sapporo 060-8628 (Japan)
Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} is a ferrimagnetic spinel ferrite that exhibits electric conductivity at room temperature (RT). Although the material has been predicted to be a half metal according to ab-initio calculations, magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} electrodes have demonstrated a small tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) effect. Not even the sign of the tunnel magnetoresistance ratio has been experimentally established. Here, we report on the magnetic properties of epitaxial Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} films with various crystal orientations. The films exhibited apparent crystal orientation dependence on hysteresis curves. In particular, Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}(110) films exhibited in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy. With respect to the squareness of hysteresis, Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} (111) demonstrated the largest squareness. Furthermore, we fabricated MTJs with Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}(110) electrodes and obtained a TMR effect of −12% at RT. The negative TMR ratio corresponded to the negative spin polarization of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} predicted from band calculations.
- OSTI ID:
- 22310835
- Journal Information:
- Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 105, Issue 10; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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