• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.279-282
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• 2006

Magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs), which consisted of amorphous ferromagnetic NiFeSiB free layers, were investigated. The NiFeSiB layers were used to substitute for the traditionally used CoFe and/or NiFe layers with the emphasis being given to obtaining an understanding of the effect of the amorphous free layer on the switching characteristics of the MTJs. $Ni_{16}Fe_{62}Si_{8}B_{14}$ has a lower saturation magnetization ($M_{s}:\;800\;emu/cm^{3}$) than $Co_{90}Fe_{10}$ and a higher anisotropy constant ($K_{u}:\;2700\;erg/cm^{3}$) than $Ni_{80}Fe_{20}$. The $Si/SiO_{2}/Ta$ 45/Ru 9.5/IrMn 10/CoFe $7/AlO_{x}/CoFeSiB\;(t)/Ru\;60\;(in\;nanometers)$structure was found to be beneficial for the switching characteristics of the MTJ, leading to a reduction in the coercivity ($H_{c}$) and an increase in the sensitivity resulted from its lower saturation magnetization and higher uniaxial anisotropy. Furthermore, by inserting a very thin CoFe layer at the tunnel barrier/NiFeSiB interface, the TMR ratio and switching squareness were improved more with the increase of NiFeSiB layer thickness up to 11 nm.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.97-100
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• 2011

Bilayers of soft NiFe (150 nm-420 nm) on hard Ni (150 nm) were prepared by electrodeposition. The process of magnetization reversal in the NiFe/Ni bilayers was then investigated. The hysteresis loop generated by a magnetization reversal of soft NiFe under a positive saturation state of a hard Ni layer shows a shift along the negative field axis, which is clear evidence for the exchange spring effect in the NiFe/Ni bilayers. The dependence of the coercive field $H_c$ and exchange bias field Hex on the thickness of the NiFe layer was also investigated. As the NiFe thickness increases from 150 nm to 420 nm, both $H_c$ and $H_{ex}$ decrease rapidly from $H_c$= 51.7 Oe and $H_{ex}$ = 12.2 Oe, and saturate to $H_c$ = 5.8 Oe and $H_{ex}$ = 3.5 Oe.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.191-195
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• 2009

The calcination and hydrogen-reduction behavior of Fe- and Ni-nitrate have been investigated. $Fe_2O_3$/NiO composite powders were prepared by chemical solution mixing of Fe- and Ni-nitrate and calcination at $350^{\circ}C$ for 2 h. The calcined powders were hydrogen-reduced at $350^{\circ}C$ for 30 min. The calcination and hydrogen-reduction behavior of Fe- and Ni-nitrate were analyzed by TG in air and hydrogen atmosphere, respectively. TG and XRD analysis for hydrogen-reduced powders revealed that the $Fe_2O_3$/NiO phase transformed to $FeNi_3$ phase at the temperature of $350^{\circ}$. The activation energy for the hydrogen reduction, evaluated by Kissinger method, was measured as 83.0 kJ/mol.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2015

In the present study, microstructural evolution in CuCrFeNi, CuCrFeNiMn, and CuCrFeNiMnAl alloys has been investigated. The as-cast CuCrFeNi alloy consists of a single fcc phase with the lattice parameter of 0.358 nm, while the as-cast CuCrFeNiMn alloy consists of (bcc+fcc1+fcc2) phases with lattice parameters of 0.287 nm, 0.366 nm, and 0.361 nm. The heat treatment of the cast CuCrFeNiMn alloy results in the different type of microstructure depending on the heat treatment temperature. At $900^{\circ}C$ a new thermodynamically stable phase appears instead of the bcc solid solution phase, while at $1,000^{\circ}C$, the heat treated microstructure is almost same as that in the as-cast state. The addition of Al in CuCrFeNiMn alloy changes the constituent phases from (fcc1+fcc2+bcc) to (bcc1+bcc2).

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2001

The synthesis and characteristics of W-Ni-Fe nanocomposite powder by hydrogen reduction of ball milled W-Ni-Fe oxide mixture were investigated. The ball milled oxide mixture was prepared by high energy attrition milling of W blue powder, NiO and $Fe_2O_3$ for 1 h. The structure of the oxide mixture was characteristic of nano porous agglomerate composite powder consisting of nanoscale particles and pores which act as effective removal path of water vapor during hydrogen reduction process. The reduction experiment showed that the reduction reaction starts from NiO, followed by $Fe_2O_3$ and finally W oxide. It was also found that during the reduction process rapid alloying of Ni-Fe yielded the formation of $\gamma$-Ni-Fe. After reduction at 80$0^{\circ}C$ for 1 h, the nano-composite powder of W-4.57Ni-2.34Fe comprising W and $\gamma$-Ni-Fe phases was produced, of which grain size was35nm for W and 87 nm for $\gamma$-Ni-Fe, respectively. Sinterability of the W heavy alloy nanopowder showing full density and sound microstructure under the condition of 147$0^{\circ}C$/20 min is thought to be suitable for raw material for powder injection molding of tungsten heavy alloy.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.265-273
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• 1997

The MR ratios and the exchange biasing field and interlayer coupling field were investigated in $Ni_{91}Fe_{19}/Co_{90}Fe_{10}/Cu/Co_{90}Fe_{10}/NiO$ spin-valve sandwiches grown on antiferromagnetic NiO films as a function of the NiO thickness, the thickness of Cu and pinning layer $Co_{90}Fe_{10}$. The spin-valve sandwiches were deposited on the Corning glass 7059 by means of the 3-gun dc and 1-gun rf magnetron sputtering at a 5 mtorrpartial Ar pressure and room temperature. The deposition field was 50 Oe. The MR curve was measured by the four-terminal method with applied magnetic soft bilayer [NiFe/CoFe] (90$\AA$) decreased dramatically to less than 10 Oe when the NiFe/CoFe bilayer used an NiFe bilayer thicker that 20$\AA$. So NiFe layer improved the softmagnetic properties in the NiFe/CoFe bilayer. The GMR ratio and the magnetic field sensitivity of the spin-valve film $Ni_{91}Fe_{19}(40{\AA})/Co_{90}Fe_{10}(50{\AA}) /Cu(30{\AA})/Co_{90}Fe_{10}(35{\AA})/NiO(800{\AA})$ was 6.3% and about 0.5 (%/Oe), respectively. The MR ratio had 5.3% below an annealing temperature of 20$0^{\circ}C$ which slowly decreased to 3% above 30$0^{\circ}C$. The large blocking temperature of the spin-valve film was taken (as being) due to the good stability of the NiO films. Thus, the spin-valve films with a free NiFe/CoFe layer clearly had a high large GMR output and showed a effective magnetic field sensitivity for a suitable spin-valve head material.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.486-492
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• 1999

The purpose of this research was to find out what is the dominant factor determining the $H_{ex}$ and the $H_C$ of Mn-Ir/Ni-Fe multilayers with different buffer layers. Regardless of (111) texture of Mn-Ir layer, all samples showed over the $H_{ex}$ of 155 Oe. We found out the $H_{ex}$ and the $H_C$ of Mn-Ir/Ni-Fe multilayers depend on interface morphology and grain size of Mn-Ir layer at the interface between Mn-Ir and Ni-Fe layers. The dependence of magnetroesistance ratio and coupling field on the thickness of ferromagnetic layer, thickness of Cu layer and different buffer layers have been studied. Maximum magnetoresistance ratio appeared for the sample Ta(5 nm)/Mn-Ir(10 nm)/Ni-Fe(7.5 nm)/Cu(2 nm)/Ni-Fe(6 nm)/Ta(5 nm)/Si. Magnetoresistance ratio may be related to grain of ferromagnetic layer. Coupling field may be related to the roughness and the grain size of ferromagnetic layer in the spin-valve multilayers.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.12 no.11
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• pp.845-849
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• 2002

Alloys of $Fe_3$Al, $Fe_3$Al-6Cr, $Fe_3$Al-4Cr-1Mo, $Ni_3$Al, and $Ni_3$Al-2.8Cr were oxidized at $1000^{\circ}C$ in air, and the oxide scales formed were studied using XRD. SEM, EPMA, and TEM. The oxide scales that formed on $Fe_3$Al-based alloys consisted primarily of $\alpha$-$Al_2$$O_3$ containing a small amount of dissolved Fe and Cr ions, whereas those that formed on $Ni_3$Al-based alloys consisted primarily of $\alpha$-$Al_2$$O_3$, together with a small amount of $NiAl_2$$O_4$, NiO and dissolved Cr ions. For the entire alloys tested, nonadherent oxide scales formed, and voids were inevitably existed at the scale-matrix interface.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.97-101
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• 2008

We investigated the exchange bias fields at the NiFe/FeMn and FeMn/CoFe interfaces in 18.9-nm NiFe/15.0-nm FeMn/17.6-nm CoFe trilayer thin films as the annealing temperature was varied from room temperature to $250^{\circ}C$ in a vacuum for 1 hour in a magnetic field of 150 Oe. Interestingly, magnetic hysteresis (M-H) measurements showed that NiFe/FeMn/CoFe trilayer thin films exhibited a completely contrasting variation of the exchange bias fields at both the NiFe/FeMn and FeMn/CoFe interfaces with annealing temperatures. High-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements indicated the absence of any discernible effect of thermal treatment on the NiFe(111) and FeMn(111) peaks. The compositional depth profile obtained from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results presented the asymmetric compositional depth profiles of the Mn and Fe atoms throughout the FeMn layer. We contend that this asymmetric compositional depth profile and the preferential Mn diffusion into the NiFe layer, compared to that into the CoFe layer, are conclusive experimental evidence of the contrasting variation of the exchange bias fields at two interfaces having a common polycrystalline FeMn(111) layer.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.237-237
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• 2003

교환바이어스(exchange bias)현상은 강자성과 반강자성의 접합계면에서 강한 상호 교환결합력에 의해 발생하는 것으로 알려져 있다. 이 현상은 1956년 Meiklejohn과 Bean에 의해 CoO층으로 둘러싸인 Co 입자에서 발견된 이후[1], 강자성과 반강자성의 접합계면을 가지는 다층박막에서의 교환바이어스에 대한 연구가 진행되어왔다[2-6]. 이는 강자성/반강자성 박막의 교환바이어스 특성을 이용하여, 강자성 박막의 스핀방향을 고정시킬 수 있기 때문이다. 이러한 교환바이어스 특성은 하드드라이브의 고밀도 자기헤드소자 및 비휘발성 자기메모리소자에 응용되어지는 등 경제적 가치를 갖는 기술적인 면과 교환바이어스라는 자기특성의 학문적인 가치로 인해 이 분야에 대한 집중적인 투자와 연구가 이루어지고 있다. 최근에는 교환바이어스 현상의 원인과 형성기구에 대한 연구가 활발히 진행되고 있다. 그러나 강자성과 반강자성 박막의 단거리 상호 교환결합력에 의한 교환바이어스 현상은, 계면의 원자구조, 자기구조 및 각자성층의 여러 가지 인자들에 대해서 지속적으로 연구되고 있다.