Magnetic anisotropy in Ta/CoFeB/MgO investigated by x-ray magnetic circular dichroism and first-principles calculation

Journal Article · Mon Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 2014 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4903296· OSTI ID:22402413

Kanai, Shun ^[1]; Tsujikawa, Masahito; Shirai, Masafumi ^[2]; Miura, Yoshio ^[3]; Matsukura, Fumihiro; Ohno, Hideo ^[1]

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1. Laboratory for Nanoelectronics and Spintronics, Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan)
2. Center for Spintronics Integrated Systems, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan)
3. Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan)

We study the spin and orbital magnetic moments in Ta/Co{sub 0.4}Fe{sub 0.4}B{sub 0.2}/MgO by x-ray magnetic circular dichroism measurements as well as first-principles calculations, in order to clarify the origin of the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Both experimental and theoretical results show that orbital magnetic moment of Fe is more anisotropic than that of Co with respect to the magnetization direction. The anisotropy is larger for thinner CoFeB, indicating that Fe atoms at the interface with MgO contribute more than Co to the observed perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.

• OSTI ID: 22402413
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 22 Vol. 105; ISSN APPLAB; ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ANISOTROPY
BORON ALLOYS
COBALT
COBALT ALLOYS
IRON
IRON ALLOYS
MAGNESIUM OXIDES
MAGNETIC CIRCULAR DICHROISM
MAGNETIC MOMENTS
MAGNETIZATION
SPIN
TANTALUM
X RADIATION