Investigation of the Mn{sub 3−δ}Ga/MgO interface for magnetic tunneling junctions

Journal Article · Mon Jul 21 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4890582· OSTI ID:22308502

Ouardi, S.; Fecher, G. H.; Felser, C. ^[1]; Kubota, T.; Mizukami, S.; Miyazaki, T. ^[2]; Kozina, X.; Ikenaga, E. ^[3]

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1. Max-Planck-Institut für Chemische Physik fester Stoffe, Nöthnitzer Strasse 40, 01187 Dresden (Germany)
2. WPI Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, 980-8577 Sendai (Japan)
3. JASRI, SPring-8, Sayo-cho, Hyogo 679-5198 (Japan)

The Mn{sub 3}Ga Heusler compound and related alloys are the most promising materials for the realization of spin-transfer-torque magnetoresistive memories. Mn–Ga films exhibits perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and high spin polarization and can be used to improve the performance of MgO-based magneto tunneling junctions. The interface between Mn–Ga and MgO films were chemically characterized by hard x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The experiment indicated the formation of Ga-O bonds at the interface and evidenced changes in the local environment of Mn atoms in the proximity of the MgO film. We show that the deposition of few monoatomic layers of Mg on top of Mn–Ga film, before the MgO deposition, strongly suppresses the oxidation of gallium.

• OSTI ID: 22308502
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 116, Issue 3; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ANISOTROPY
BINARY ALLOY SYSTEMS
DEPOSITION
ELECTRIC CONTACTS
FILMS
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
HARD X RADIATION
HEUSLER ALLOYS
INTERFACES
LAYERS
MAGNESIUM OXIDES
MAGNETIC SEMICONDUCTORS
MAGNETORESISTANCE
MANGANESE COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
SPIN ORIENTATION
TUNNEL DIODES
TUNNEL EFFECT