Effect of interfacial structures on spin dependent tunneling in epitaxial L10-FePt/MgO/FePt perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions

Yang, G.; Li, D. L.; Wang, S. G.; Ma, Q. L.; Liang, S. H.; Wei, H. X.; Han, X. F.; Hesjedal, T.; Ward, R. C.  C.; Kohn, A.; Elkayam, A.; Tal, N.; Zhang, X. -G.

doi:10.1063/1.4913265

Title: Effect of interfacial structures on spin dependent tunneling in epitaxial L1₀-FePt/MgO/FePt perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions

Journal Article · Tue Feb 24 00:00:00 EST 2015 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4913265· OSTI ID:1265531

Yang, G. ^[1]; Li, D. L. ^[1]; Wang, S. G. ^[1]; Ma, Q. L. ^[1]; Liang, S. H. ^[1]; Wei, H. X. ^[1]; Han, X. F. ^[1];

^[2]; Ward, R. C. C. ^[2]; Kohn, A. ^[3]; Elkayam, A. ^[3]; Tal, N. ^[3]; Zhang, X. -G. ^[4]

Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing (China). State Key Lab. of Magnetism. Beijing National Lab. for Condensed Matter Physics. Inst. of Physics
Univ. of Oxford (United Kingdom). Clarendon Lab. Dept. of Physics
Ben-Gurion Univ. of the Negev, Beer-Sheva (Israel). Dept. of Materials Engineering. Ilse Katz Inst. for Nanoscale Science and Technology
Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States). Dept. of Physics. Quantum Theory Project; Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences. Computer Science and Mathematics Division

In this study, epitaxial FePt(001)/MgO/FePt magnetic tunnel junctions with L1₀-FePt electrodes showing perpendicular magnetic anisotropy were fabricated by molecular beam epitaxial growth. Tunnel magnetoresistance ratios of 21% and 53% were obtained at 300 K and 10 K, respectively. Our previous work, based on transmission electron microscopy, confirmed a semi-coherent interfacial structure with atomic steps (Kohn et al., APL 102, 062403 (2013)). Here, we show by x-ray photoemission spectroscopy and first-principles calculation that the bottom FePt/MgO interface is either Pt-terminated for regular growth or when an Fe layer is inserted at the interface, it is chemically bonded to O. Finally, both these structures have a dominant role in spin dependent tunneling across the MgO barrier resulting in a decrease of the tunneling magnetoresistance ratio compared with previous predictions.

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Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Contributing Organization:: Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing (China); Ben-Gurion Univ. of the Negev, Beer-Sheva (Israel)

OSTI ID:: 1265531

Journal Information:: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 117, Issue 8; ISSN 0021-8979

Publisher:: American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 14 works

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Title: Effect of interfacial structures on spin dependent tunneling in epitaxial L10-FePt/MgO/FePt perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions

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Title: Effect of interfacial structures on spin dependent tunneling in epitaxial L1₀-FePt/MgO/FePt perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions