High tunneling magnetoresistance ratio in perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions using Fe-based Heusler alloys

Journal Article · Mon Dec 21 04:00:00 EST 2015 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4937917· OSTI ID:22493055

Wang, Yu-Pu ^[1]; Lim, Sze-Ter; Han, Gu-Chang ^[2]; Teo, Kie-Leong ^[1]

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1. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore (Singapore)
2. Data Storage Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research - A*STAR (Singapore)

Heulser alloys Fe{sub 2}Cr{sub 1−x}Co{sub x}Si (FCCS) with different Co compositions x have been predicted to have high spin polarization. High perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) has been observed in ultra-thin FCCS films with magnetic anisotropy energy density up to 2.3 × 10{sup 6 }erg/cm{sup 3}. The perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions (p-MTJs) using FCCS films with different Co compositions x as the bottom electrode have been fabricated and the post-annealing effects have been investigated in details. An attractive tunneling magnetoresistance ratio as high as 51.3% is achieved for p-MTJs using Fe{sub 2}CrSi (FCS) as the bottom electrode. The thermal stability Δ can be as high as 70 for 40 nm dimension devices using FCS, which is high enough to endure a retention time of over 10 years. Therefore, Heusler alloy FCS is a promising PMA candidate for p-MTJ application.

• OSTI ID: 22493055
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 23 Vol. 118; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ANISOTROPY
ANNEALING
ELECTRODES
ENERGY DENSITY
FCC LATTICES
HEUSLER ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
MAGNETIZATION
MAGNETORESISTANCE
SPIN ORIENTATION
STABILITY
THIN FILMS
TUNNEL JUNCTIONS