High thermal stability of exchange-biased bilayers and bottom giant magnetoresistive spin valves using an {alpha}-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} antiferromagnetic layer

Journal Article · Mon Jun 25 00:00:00 EDT 2001 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1381031· OSTI ID:40204587

Bae, Seongtae; Judy, Jack H; Chen, P J; Egelhoff, William F; Zurn, Shayne

The thermal stability of antiferromagnetic {alpha}-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} exchange-biased bilayers and bottom giant magnetoresistive (GMR) spin valves has been investigated experimentally at various ambient temperatures. An {alpha}-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} exchange-biased bilayer exhibited a high blocking temperature, T{sub b}, of 390{degree}C, and a bottom spin valve showed stable GMR performance above 350{degree}C. The T{sub b} of {alpha}-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} exchange-biased bilayers depended strongly on the adjacent ferromagnetic material and the number of measurements. In addition, the increasing mean grain size and enhanced (104) and (110) crystalline texture of {alpha}-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} increased T{sub b} by up to 23%. {copyright} 2001 American Institute of Physics.

• Sponsoring Organization: (US)
• OSTI ID: 40204587
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 78, Issue 26; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.1381031; Othernumber: APPLAB000078000026004163000001; 004126APL; PBD: 25 Jun 2001; ISSN 0003-6951
• Publisher: The American Physical Society
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AMBIENT TEMPERATURE
FERROMAGNETIC MATERIALS
GRAIN SIZE
PERFORMANCE
PHYSICS
SPIN
STABILITY
TEXTURE
VALVES