• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.200-204
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• 2002

We fabricated TMR devices which have double oxidized tunnel barrier using plasma oxidation method to form homogeneously oxidized AlO tunnel barrier. We sputtered 10 $\AA$-bottom Al layer and oxidized it by varying oxidation time for 5, 10, 20 sec. Subsequent sputtering of 13 $\AA$ - Al was performed and the matallic layer was oxidized for 120 sec. The electrical resistance changed from 700$\Omega$ to 2700$\Omega$ with increase of oxidation time, while variation of MR ratio was little spreading 27~31% which is larger than that of TMR device of ordinary single tunnel barrier. We calculated effective barrier height and width by measuring I-V curves, from which we found the barrier height was 1.3~1.5 eV, sufficient for tunnel barrier, and the barrier width(<16.2 $\AA$) was smaller than that of directly measured value by the tunneling electron microscopy. Our results may be caused by insufficient oxidation of Al precursor into $Al_2O_3$. However, double oxidized tunnel barriers were superior to conventional single tunnel barrier in uniformity and density. We found that the external magnetic field to switch spin direction of ferromagnetic layer of pinned layer breaking ferro-antiferro exchange coupling was increased as bottom layer oxidation time increased. Our results imply that we were able to improve MR ratio and tune switching field by employing double oxidized tunnel barrier process.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.373-379
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• 2002

We investigated the evolution of magnetoresistance and magnetic property of tunneling magnetoresistive(TMR) device with microstructure and plasma oxidation time. TMR devices have potential applications for non volatile MRAM and high density HDD reading head. We prepared the tunnel magnetoresistance(TMR) devices of Ta($50{\AA}$)/NiFe($50{\AA}$)/IrMn($150{\AA}$)/CoFe($50{\AA}$)/Al($13{\AA}$)-O/CoFe($40{\AA}$)/FiFe($400{\AA}$)/Ta(($50{\AA}$) structure which have $100{\times}100\mu\textrm{m}^2$ junction area on $2.5{\times}2.5\textrm{cm}^2$ Si/$SiO_2$(($1000{\AA}$) substrates by an inductively coupled plasma(ICP) magnetron sputter. We fabricated the insulating layer using an ICP plasma oxidation method by with various oxidation time from 30 sec to 360 sec, and measured resistances and magnetoresistance(MR) ratios of TMR devices. We found that the oxidized sample for oxidation time of 80 sec showed the highest MR radio of 30.31 %, while the calculated value regarding inhomogeneous current effect indicated 25.18 %. We used transmission electron microscope(TEM) to investigate microstructural evolution of insulating layer. Comparing the cross-sectional TEM images at oxidation time of 150 sec and 360 sec, we found that the thickness and thickness variation of 360 sec-oxidized insulating layer became 30% and 40% larger than those of 150 sec-oxidized layer, repectively. Therefore, our results imply that increase of thickness variation with oxidation time may be one of the major treasons of the MR decrease.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.61-66
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• 1999

The Spin-dependent tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) effect was observed in $NiFe/Al_2O_3$/Co thin films. The samples were prepared by magnetron sputtering in a system with a base pressure of $3\times10^{-6}$Torr. the insulating $Al_2O_3$layer was prepared by r.f. plasma oxydation method of a metallic Al layer. The ferromagnetic and insulating layers were deposited through metallic masks to produce the cross pattern form. The junction has an active area of $0.3\times0.3\textrm{mm}^2$ and the $Al_2O_3$layer is deposited through a circular mask with a diameter of 1mm. It is very important that insulating layer is formed very thinly and uniformly in tunneling junction. The ferromagnetic layer was fabricated in optimum conditions and the surface of that was very flat, which was observed by AFM. Tunneling junction was confirmed through nonlinear I-V curve. $NiFe/Al_2O_3$/Co junction was observed for magnetization behavior and magnetoresistance property and magnetoresistance property is dependent on magnetization behavior and magnetoresistance property and magnetoresistance property is dependent on magnetization behavior of t재 ferromagnetic layer. The maximum magnetoresistance ratio was about 6.5%.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.191-195
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• 2004

Tunnel junctions with AI-N barriers fabricated by microwave-excited plasma were studied. When the Al thickness, nitridation time, and annealing temperature were 1 nm (0.8 nm), 50 s (35 s), and $280^{\circ}C$ ($300^{\circ}C$), TMR ratio and resistance-area product (RA) were 49% (34%) and $3 ${\times}$ 10^4$ $\Omega$$\mu\m^2$ ($1.5 ${\times}$ 10^4$ $\Omega$$\mu\m^2$), respectively. In order to clarify the annealing temperature dependence of TMR ratio, the local transport properties were measured for Ta 5 nm/Cu 20 nm/Ta 5 nm$29_{76}$ $Fe_{24}$ 2 nm/Cu 5 nm/M $n_{75}$$Ir_{25}$ 10 nm/ $Co_{71}$ $Co_{29}$ 4nm/Al-N junction with Al thickness of 0.8 nm and nitridation time of 35s at various temperatures. The increase of TMR ratio after annealing at $300^{\circ}C$, where the TMR ratio of the corresponding MTJ had the maximum value of 34%, can be well explained by the enhancement of the average barrier height ($\Phi_{ave}$) and the reduction of its fluctuation. After further annealing at $340^{\circ}C$, the leakage current was observed and the TMR ratio decreaseded