• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.276-278
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• 2006

The switching characteristics of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) comprising amorphous ferromagnetic CoFeSiB free layer have been investigated. CoFeSiB was used for the free layer to enhance the switching characteristics. The typical junction structure was $Si/SiO_{2}/Ta$ 45/Ru 9.5/IrMn 10/CoFe $7/AlO_{x}/CoFeSiB\;(t)/Ru\;60\;(in\;nm)$. CoFeSiB has low saturation magnetization ($M_{s}$) of $560\;emu/cm^{3}$ and high anisotropy constant ($K_{u}$) of $2800\;erg/cm^{3}$. These properties caused low coercivity ($H_{c}$) and high sensitivity in MTJs, and it also confirmed in submicrometer-sized elements by micromagnetic simulation based on the Landau-Lisfschitz-Gilbert equation. By increasing CoFeSiB free layer thickness, the switching characteristics became worse due to increase of the demagnetization field.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.16 no.12S
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• pp.1305-1309
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• 2003

To utilize FeCoSiB amorphous films for magnetoelastic sensors, the temperature dependency of magnetization (M-T curve) and the magnetization properties of the amorphous films were investigated in this study. As the amount of cobalt In the films increased, the Curie temperature decreased but the crystallization temperature increased. In addition to this, the crystallization temperature was lower than the Curie temperature in the film containing 20 at% cobalt. The optimized annealing condition was set up by analyzing the H-T curve. And then, the amorphous film that has excellent magnetic properties and uni-axal anisotropy could be prepared for construction of the magnetoelastic sensor devices. The coercive force of the film was below 0.5 Oe and the anisotripic field was about 5 Oe.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.122-125
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• 2013

Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) is the phenomenon of magnetic thin film which is preferentially magnetized in a direction perpendicular to the film's plane. Amorphous multilayer with PMA has been studied as the good candidate to realization of high density STT-MRAM (Spin Transfer Torque-Magnetic Random Access Memory). The current issue of high density STT-MRAM is a decrease in the switching current of the device and an application of amorphous materials which are most suitable devices. The amorphous ferromagnetic material has low saturated magnetization, low coercivity and high thermal stability. In this study, we presented amorphous ferromagnetic multilayer that consists of an amorphous alloy CoSiB and a nonmagnetic material Pd. We investigated the change of PMA of the $[CoSiB\;t_{CoSiB}/Pd\;1.3nm]_5$ multilayer ($t_{CoSiB}$ = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6 nm, and $t_{Pd}$ = 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6 nm) and $[CoSiB\;0.3nm/Pd\;1.3nm]_n$ multilayer (n = 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13). This multilayer is measured by VSM (Vibrating Sample Magnetometer) and analyzed magnetic properties like a coercivity ($H_c$) and a magnetization ($M_s$). The coercivity in the $[CoSiB\;t_{CoSiB}\;nm/Pd\;1.3nm]_5$ multi-layers increased with increasing $t_{CoSiB}$ to reach a maximum at $t_{CoSiB}$ = 0.3 nm and then decreased for $t_{CoSiB}$ > 0.3 nm. The lowest saturated magnetization of $0.26emu/cm^3$ was obtained in the $[CoSiB\;0.3nm/Pd\;1.3nm]_3$ multilayer whereas the highest coercivity of 0.26 kOe was obtained in the $[CoSiB\;0.3nm/Pd\;1.3nm]_5$ mutilayer. Additional Pd layers did not contribute to the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The single domain structure evolved in to a striped multi-domain structure as the bilayer repetition number n was increased above 7 after which (n > 7) the hysteresis loops had a bow-tie shapes.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.124-127
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• 2007

Magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs), which consisted of amorphous CoFeSiB layers, were investigated. The CoFeSiB layers were used to substitute for the traditionally used CoFe and/or NiFe layers with an emphasis given on understanding the effect of the amorphous free layer on the switching characteristics of the MTJs. CoFeSiB has a lower saturation magnetization ($M_s\;:\;560\;emu/cm^3$) and a higher anisotropy constant ($K_u\;:\;2800\;erg/cm^3$) than CoFe and NiFe, respectively. An exchange coupling energy ($J_{ex}$) of $-0.003\;erg/cm^2$ was observed by inserting a 1.0 nm Ru layer in between CoFeSiB layers. In the Si/$SiO_2$/Ta 45/Ru 9.5/IrMn 10/CoFe 7/$AlO_x$/CoFeSiB 7 or CoFeSiB (t)/Ru 1.0/CoFeSiB (7-t)/Ru 60 (in nm) MTJs structure, it was found that the size dependence of the switching field originated in the lower $J_{ex}$ using the experimental and simulation results. The CoFeSiB synthetic antiferromagnet structures were proved to be beneficial for the switching characteristics such as reducing the coercivity ($H_c$) and increasing the sensitivity in micrometer size, even in submicrometer sized elements.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.186-191
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• 2006

Ferromagnetic amorphous $Ni_{16}Fe_{62}Si_8B_{14}$ and $Co_{70.5}Fe_{4.5}Si_{15}B_{10}$ layers have been devised and incorporated as free layers of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) to improve MRAM reading and writing performance. The NiFeSiB and CoFeSiB single-layer film exhibited a lower saturation magnetization ($Ms=800emu/cm^3,\;and\;560emu/cm^3$, respectively) compared to that of a $Co_{90}Fe_{10}(Ms=1400emu/cm^3)$. Because amorphous ferromagnetic materials have lower Ms than crystalline ones, the MTJs incorporating amorphous ferromagnetic materials offer lower switching field ($H_{sw}$) values than that of the traditional CoFe-based MTJ. The double-barrier MTJ with an amorphous NiFeSiB free layer offered smooth surface resulting in low bias voltage dependence, and high $V_h\;and\;V_{bd}$ compared with the values of the traditional CoFe-based MTJ.

• 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.

• Proceedings of the Korean Magnestics Society Conference
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• 1994.03a
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• pp.68-69
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• 1994

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.128-132
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• 2007

The thermal and magnetic properties of amorphous (FeCo)SiBNb ribbon alloys with high glass forming ability have been investigated. The glass forming ability was enhanced by Co substitution in amorphous ($Fe_{1-X}Co_X)_{72}Si_4B_{20}Nb_4$ alloys with the thickness of about $40{\mu}m$. With the increase in Co content, the temperature range of supercooled liquid phase increased indicating the high glass forming ability of the Co-added alloys. Further the ac permeability increased, and the core loss decreased considerably by Co substitution, while small change in $B_8$ (magnetic flux density at 800 A/m) was observed. The frequency characteristics of permeability deteriorated as compared to conventional amorphous ribbon alloys with the thickness of about $20\;{\mu}m$ due to the increased skin effect.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 1999.05a
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• pp.59-72
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• 1999

In this thesis, we measured the Barkhausen effect of CoFeSiB amorphous ribbon and then investigated its possibility to be used as a sensor material. We used a sample of composition $($Fe_{0.06}$$Co_{0.94}$)_${0.79}$$Si_{2.1}$$B_{18.9}$ with a thickness 12[pm1, width 2.5[rnml and length 5[cm], which was fabricated by a single roll method. In order to improve magnetic characteristics of the sample, we had carried on annealing in the magnetic field and in none magnetic field. And, experimented results to the magnetic characteristics show that the ribbon has large Barkhausen jump even in weak magnetic field below 0.5[0el. From the results, we confirmed that the sample can be used as an magnetic sensor material.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.163-168
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• 2001

This dissertation describes the development of a sensor for measuring microscopic displacement where we use CoFeSiB amorphous alloy magnetic ribbon having near zero magnetostrictive properties. For the development of the sensor, we first fabricate amorphous alloy magnetic ribbon, and then investigate its physical and magnetic properties. Finally, its possibility of practical application as a displacement sensor is discussed. The experimental samples were made of near zero magnetostrictive (Co$\_$0.94/Fe$\_$0.06/)$\_$9/Si$_2$B$\_$19/ alloy which were fabricated by a rapid liquid quenching method. As a results, we got amorphous alloy magnetic ribbons of 12㎛ in thickness, 10 mm in length, and 2.5 m in width. It was found that the crystallization temperature and the Curie temperature are around 451$\^{C}$ and around 441$\^{C}$ respectively. We couldn't observe any noticeable change of the impedance frequency of 10MHz, but observed the impedance change of 3.76 %/Oe at 100 MHz. The inductance was nearly stable over the frequency range of 1∼10 MHz, In addition, it was observed that the variation of the inductance and the impedance were linear within the displacement ranges of 20∼60㎛. As the results of the experiments, it is suggested that the displacement sensor which is fabricated by using amorphous alloy magnetic ribbon of (Co$\_$0.04/Fe$\_$0.06/)$\_$79/Si$_2$B$\_$19/ compound, can be used as a sensor to detect microscopic displacement.