Increase in spin injection efficiency of a CoFe/MgO(100) tunnel spin injector with thermal annealing

Journal Article · Mon Jan 31 00:00:00 EST 2005 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1787896· OSTI ID:20637002

Wang, R; Jiang, X; Shelby, R M; Macfarlane, R M; Parkin, S S.P.; Bank, S R; Harris, J S ^[1]

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1. IBM Research Division, Almaden Research Center, San Jose, California 95120 (United States)

Postgrowth thermal annealing of a CoFe/MgO(100) tunnel spin injector grown on aGaAs/AlGaAs quantum well structure results in a significantly increased spin injection efficiency as inferred from the polarization of heavy-hole electroluminescence from a quantum well optical detector. The as-deposited sample displayed an initial polarization at 100 K of 43%, which was increased to 52% after a 1 h anneal at 300 deg. C, and finally to 55% after a second 1 h anneal at 340 deg. C. The polarization remained unchanged upon further annealing to temperatures as high as 400 deg. C. These results show that tunnel spin injectors based on CoFe/MgO are robust with high thermal stability, making them useful for device applications.

• OSTI ID: 20637002
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 86, Issue 5; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.1787896; (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ALUMINIUM ARSENIDES
ANNEALING
COBALT ALLOYS
CRYSTAL GROWTH
DEPOSITION
EFFICIENCY
ELECTROLUMINESCENCE
FERROMAGNETIC MATERIALS
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
IRON ALLOYS
LIGHT EMITTING DIODES
MAGNESIUM OXIDES
MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY
POLARIZATION
QUANTUM WELLS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SPIN
TUNNEL EFFECT