• The Korean Journal of Ceramics
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.100-102
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• 2000

Co fine particles were dispersed in Au metal and $AlO_x$ amorphous matrices by vacuum evaporation and rf-sputtering, respectively, thus forming granular composite films having chemical compositions of $Co_{0.59}-Au_{0.41}$ and $Co_{0.52}/(AlO_x$)_{0.48}$. The films were annealed at 200~$500^{\circ}C$ to increase the size of the Co particles, from 30$\AA$ to 180$\AA$ in the Au matrix and 40$\AA$ to 180$\AA$ in the $AlO_x$ matrix, as revealed by X-ray diffraction analysis. The Co metal in as-deposited films have saturation magnetization equivalent to that of bulk Co, which is unchanged by the annealing, showing that the Co metal is not oxidized by the annealing. Magneto-optical Kerr rotation measured at $\lambda$=400-900nm for the $Co_{0.59}-Au_{0.41}$ film as deposited is larger than that calculated for the composition. The rotation increases as the film is annealed at $200^{\circ}C$ and $300^{\circ}C$, approaching to that of bulk Co. The Kerr rotation for the $Co_{0.52}-(AlO_x)_{0.48}$ film as deposited is smaller than that calculated for the composition based on Bruggeman effective medium theory. However, the rotation increases much, exceeding the rotation of the bulk Co as annealed at $300^{\circ}C$ and $400^{\circ}C$. As a possible origin of the marked magneto-optical enhancement a weak localization of light in granular structure is suggested.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.38-43
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• 1997

For amorphous $Co_{1-x}Ti_x$(X=0.13, 0.16, 0.21 at.%) thin films deposited by DC magnetron sputtering method ferromagnetic resonance experiments have been used to investigate the dependence of surface magnetic properties according to annealing temperature (150~225 $^{\circ}C$). Spin wave resonance spectra for all annealing temperatures consist of several volume modes and one(or two) surface mode. It is suggested that both surfaces of the film have a perpendicular hard axis to the film plane(negative surface anisotropy). Also, the surface anisotropy $K_{s2}$ at substrate film interface is varied slowly from -0.11 to -0.25 erg/ $\textrm{cm}^2$ and the surface anisotropy $K_{s1}$ at film-air interface is varied from 0.16 to -0.53 erg/ $\textrm{cm}^2$ with increasing annealing temperature. We conjecture that the variation of surface anisotropy $K_{s1}$ is due to the increase of Co concentration resulted from Ti oxidation for low temperature annealing(150~200 $^{\circ}C$) and the diffusion of Co atoms near the film surfaces for high temperature annealing(225~250 $^{\circ}C$).

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.236-239
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• 2004

We studied the specular spin valve (SSV) having the spin filter layer (SFL) in contact with the ultrathin free layer composed of Ta3/NiFe2/IrMn7/CoFel/(NOLl)/CoFe2/Cu1.8/CoFe( $t_{F}$)/Cu( $t_{SF}$ )/(NOL2)/Ta3.5 (in nm) by the magnetron sputtering system. For this antiferromagnetic I $r_{22}$M $n_{78}$-pinned spin filter specular spin valve (SFSSV) films, an optimal magnetoresistance (MR) ratio of 11.9% was obtained when both the free layer thickness ( $t_{F}$) and the SFL thickness ( $t_{SF}$ ) were 1.5 nm, and the MR ratio higher than 11% was maintained even when the $t_{F}$ was reduced to 1.0 nm. It was due to increase of specular electron by the nano-oxide layer (NOL) and of current shunting through the SFL. Moreover, the interlayer coupling field ( $H_{int}$) between free layer and pinned layer could be explained by considering the RKKY and magnetostatic coupling. The coercivity of the free layer ( $H_{cf}$ ) was significantly reduced as compared to the traditional spin valve (TSV), and was remained as low as 4 Oe when the $t_{F}$ varied from 1 nm to 4 urn. It was found that the SFL made it possible to reduce the free layer thickness and enhance the MR ratio without degrading the soft magnetic property of the free layer.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.7-11
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• 1997

The dependence of magnetoresistance (MR) ratio on various variables like the thickness of the second Co layer, on the presence of cap layer, on deposition field (Hdep) and on annealing in Co/Cu/Co sandwiches was investigated. Spin-valve sandwiches were deposited on the corning glass by means of the 3-gun dcmagnetron sputtering at a 5 mTorr partial Ar pressure and room temperature. The deposition field was varied from 70 Oe to 720 Oe. The MR curve was measured by the four-terminal method with applied magnetic field up to 1000 Oe perpendicular to the direction of a current in the film plne. The MR ratio of glass/Fe(50${\AA}$)/Co(17${\AA}$)/Cu(24${\AA}$)/Cot(${\AA}$) fabricated by making 50 ${\AA}$ of Fe buffer layer has the maximum value of 8.2% when the thickness of the second Co layer was 17${\AA}$and the deposition field was 350 Oe. In the case of glass/Fe(50${\AA}$)/Co(17${\AA}$)/Cu(24${\AA}$)/Cot(${\AA}$) with Cu cap layer on top, the decrease in the MR ratio seemed to relate with the oxidation of the second Co layer. Samples prepared with deposition field showed greater MR ratios through the formation of more complete spin valve films. After annealing for 2 hours at 300$^{\circ}C$, the MR ratio of the samples prepared with deposition field decreased rapidly while the MR raito of the sample prepared without the field remained.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.184-189
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• 1999

1000 $\AA$ thick Fe films were epitaxially grown on MgO(001) by an rf sputtering and effects of substrate temperature on the structural and magnetic properties were investigated. X-ray diffraction intensity increased with increasing substrate temperature and inter-planar spacing $d_{(002)}$ decrease with increasing the temperature up to 25$0^{\circ}C$. The increased intensity and decreased inter-planar spacing were thought to be attributed to the enhancement of lattice match between Fe films and MgO, thus yielding good epitaxial growth. By using torque magnetometer, VSM and pole figure, very nice epitaxial growth of sputtered Fe films on MgO could be confirmed and $K_1$ value of Fe films grown at 25$0^{\circ}C$ was $4.6{\times}10^5\;erg/cc$, which was very similar to that of bulk single Fe crystal.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.201-205
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• 2002

The tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) of a ramp-edge type junction has been studied. The samples with a structure of NiO(60)/Co(10)/NiO(60)/Si$_3$N$_4$(2-6)/NiFe(10) (nm) were prepared by the sputtering and etched by the electron cyclotron (ECR) argon ion milling. Nonlinear I-V characteristics was obtained from a ramp-type tunneling junctions having the dominant difference between zero and ＋90 Oe perpendicular to the junction edge line. The voltage dependence of TMR was stable up to a bias volt of $\pm$10 V with a TMR ratio of about -10%, which may be very peculiar magnetic tunneling properties with asymmetric tunneling process between wedge Co pinned layer and NiFe free layer.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.4 no.8
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• pp.952-957
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• 1994

Fe/Co and FeN/CoN multilayer films were prepared by using RF and DC magnetron sputter^ ing technique with Ar or a mixture of Ar and $N_{2}$ gas. Annealing treatment was carried out in a vacuum at temperatures between $100^{\circ}C$ and $500^{\circ}C$ for lhour. Saturation magnetization (MS) and coercivity (Hc) of Fe/Co mutilayer films were investigated as a function of Fe layer thickness and annealing temperature. Permeability ($\mu$) was also examined. Saturation magnetization of 1.8T and coercivity of 1.80e were obtained for the as-deposited Fe/Co($70 \AA /15 \AA$) multilayer film. The Coercivity(Hc) did not change from 1.8 Oe till the annealing temperature $250^{\circ}C$ and then increased rapidly at higher annealing temperatures above $300^{\circ}C$. Coercivity(Hc) measured for the as-deposited FeN/CoN multilayer film was 5 Oe. It decreased gradually with annealing up to $250^{\circ}C$, and then increased rapidly at higher tempera tures.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.72-79
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• 2002

Local M-H loops have been measured on the free layer of a tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) junction using the magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) system, with an optical beam size of about 2 $\mu$m diameter. Tunnel junctions were deposited using the DC magnetron sputtering method in a chamber with a base pressure of 3$\times$10$^{-9}$ Torr. The relatively irregular variations of coercive force H$_c$(∼17.5 Oe) and unidirectional anisotropy field H$_{ua}$(∼7.5 Oe) in the as-deposited sample are revealed. After $200{^{\circ}C}$ annealing, He decreases to 15 Oe but H$_{ua}$ increases to 20 Oe with smooth local variations. Two-dimensional plots of H$_c$ and H$_{ua}$ show the symmetric saddle shapes with their axes aligned with the pinned layer, irrespective of the annealing field angle. This is thought to be caused by geometric effects during deposition, together with a minor annealing effect. In addition, the variation of root mean square (RMS) surface roughness reveals it to be symmetric with respect to the center of the pinned-layer axis, with the roughness of 2.5 $\AA$ near the edge and 5.8 $\AA$ at the junction center. Comparison of surface roughness with the variation of H$_{ua}$ suggests that the H$_{ua}$ variation of the free layer is well described by dipole interactions related to surface roughness. As a whole, the reversal magnetization is not uniform over the entire junction area and the macroscopic properties are governed by the average sum of local distributions.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.64-67
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• 2002

IrMn pinned spin valve (SV) films with stacks of Ta/NiFe/IrMn/CoFe/Cu/CoFe/NiFe/Ta were prepared by dc sputtering onto thermally oxidized Si (111) substrates at room temperature under a magnetic field of about 100 Oe. The annealing cycle number and temperature dependence of exchange coupling field (H$_{ex}$), magnetoresistance (MR) ratio, and coercivity (H$_{c}$) were investigated. By optimizing the process of deposition and post thermal annealing condition, we obtained the IrMn based SV films with MR ratio of 3.6%, H$_{ex}$ of 1180 Oe for the pinned layer. The H$_{ex}$ is stabilized after the second annealing cycle and it is thought that this SV reveals high thermal stability. The H$_{ex}$ maintained its strength of 600 Oe in operation up to 24$0^{\circ}C$ and decreased monotonically to zero at 27$0^{\circ}C$.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.306.2-306.2
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• 2014

전자기기의 휴대성과 이동성이 강조되고 있는 현대사회에서 비휘발성 메모리는 메모리 산업에 있어 매우 매력적인 동시에 커다란 잠재성을 지닌다. 이미 공정의 한계에 부딪힌 Flash 메모리를 대신하여 10nm 이하의 공정이 가능한 상변화 메모리(Phase-Change Memory, PRAM), 스핀 주입 자화 반전 메모리(Spin Transfer Torque-Magnetic RAM, STT-MRAM), 저항 변화 메모리(Resistive Random Access Memory, ReRAM)가 차세대 비휘발성 메모리 후보로서 거론되고 있으며, 그 중에서도 ReRAM은 빠른 속도와 낮은 소비 전력, CMOS 공정 호환성, 그리고 비교적 단순한 3차원 적층 구조의 특성으로 인해 활발히 연구되고 있다. 특히 최근에는 질화물 또는 질소를 도핑한 산화물을 저항변화 물질로 사용하는 ReRAM이 보고되고 있는데, 이들은 동작전압이 낮을 뿐만 아니라 저항 변화(Resistive Switching, RS) 과정에서 일어나는 계면 산화를 방지할 수 있으므로 ReRAM의 저항 변화 재료로서 각광받고 있다. 그러나 Cell 단위의 ReRAM 소자를 Crossbar Array 구조에 적용시켰을 때 주변 Cell과의 저항 상태 차이로 인해 전류가 낮은 저항 상태(LRS)의 Cell로 흘러 의도치 않은 동작을 야기한다. 이와 같이 누설 전류(Leakage Current)로 인한 상호간의 간섭이 일어나는 Cross-talk 현상이 존재하며, 공정의 간소화와 집적도를 유지하면서 이 문제를 해결하는 것은 실용화하기에 앞서 매우 중요한 문제이다. 따라서, 본 논문에서는 Read 동작 시 발생하는 Cell과 Cell 사이의 Cross-talk 문제를 해결하기 위해 자가 정류 특성(Self-Rectifying)을 가지는 실리콘 질화물/알루미늄 질화물 이중층(Si3N4/AlN Bi-layer)으로 구성된 ReRAM 소자 구조를 제안하였으며, Sputtering 방법을 이용하여 제안된 소자를 제작하였다. 전압-전류 특성 실험결과, 제안된 구조에 대한 에너지 밴드 다이어그램 시뮬레이션 결과와 동일하게 Positive Bias 영역에서 자가 정류 특성을 획득하였고, 결과적으로 Read 동작 시 발생하는 Cross-talk 현상을 차단할 수 있는 결과를 확보하였다.