• 한국자기학회:학술대회 개요집
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• 한국자기학회 2000년도 International Symposium on Magnetics The 2000 Fall Conference
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• pp.5-32
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• 2000

MRAM, High performance MRAM using MTJS demostrated, fully integrated MTJ MRAM with CMOS circuits, write time ~2.3 nsec; read time ~3 nsec, Thermally stable up to ~350 C, Switching field distibution controlled by size & shape. Magnetic Tunnel Junction Properties, Magnetoresistance: ~50% at room temperature, enhanced by thermal treatment, Negative and Positive MR by interface modification, Spin Polarization: >55% at 0.25K, Insensitive ot FM composition, Resistance $\times$ Area product, ranging from ~20 to 10$^{9}$ $\Omega$(${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$)$^{2}$, Spin valve transistor, Tunnel injected spin polarization for "hot" electrons, Decrease of MTJMR at high bias originates from anode.

• 공학논문집
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• 제6권2호
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• pp.33-38
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• 2004

To investigate the reliability of the MTJs on the roughness of insulating tunnel barrier, we prepared two MTJs with the different uniformity of barrier thickness. Namely, the one has uniform insulating barrier thickness; the other has non-uniform insulating barrier thickness as compared to different thing. As to depositing amorphous layer CoZrNb under the pinning layer IrMn, we achieved MTJ with uniform barrier thickness. Toinvestigate the reliability of the MTJs dependent on the bottom electrode, time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) measurements were carried out under constant voltage stress. The Weibull fit of out data shows clearly that $t_{BD}$ scales with the thickness uniformity of MTJs tunnel barrier. Assuming a linear dependence of log($t_{BD}$) on stress voltages, we obtained the lifetime of $10^4$years at a operating voltage of 0.4 V at MTJs comprising CoNbZr layers. This study shows that the reliabilityof new MTJs structure was improved due to the ultra smooth barrier, because the surface roughness of the bottom electrode influenced the uniformity of tunnel barrier.

• 한국자기학회:학술대회 개요집
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• 한국자기학회 2000년도 International Symposium on Magnetics The 2000 Fall Conference
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• pp.33-59
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• 2000

Demonstrated uniform MR and resistance across 6 inch wafer, Demonstrated successful integration of MTJ and CMOS, Measured address access time of 8ns and read cycle time of 18ns for 256${\times}$2 arrays at 3.0V using a single transistor and MTJ for a cell

• 한국자기학회지
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• 제16권6호
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• pp.279-282
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• 2006

비정질 강자성 NiFeSiB 자유층을 갖는 자기터널접합 (MTJ)에 대하여 연구하였다. 비정질 자유층이 MTJ의 스위칭 특성에 미치는 영향을 알아보는데 역점을 두어 기존의 CoFe와 NiFe층 대신에 NiFeSiB 자성층을 사용하였다. $Ni_{16}Fe_{62}Si_{8}B_{14}$는 $Co_{90}Fe_{10}$보다 더 낮은 포화자화도 ($M_{s}:\;800\;emu/cm^{3}$) 그리고 $Ni_{80}Fe_{20}$보다 더 높은 이방성 상수 ($K_{u}:\;2700\;erg/cm^{3}$)를 갖는다. $Si/SiO_{2}/Ta$ 45/Ru 9.5/IrMn 10/CoFe $7/AlO_{x}/CoFeSiB\;(t)/Ru\;60\;(nm)$ 구조는 그 자체의 낮은 포화자화도와 높은 일축 이방성을 가짐으로 인하여 보자력($H_{c}$)을 감소시키고 스위칭 각형을 증가시키게 함으로서 MTJ의 스위칭 특성에 유리한 것으로 조사되었다. 더욱이 미소두께(1 nm)의 CoFe층을 터널장벽/NiFeSiB 경계면에 삽입하면 TMR비와 스위칭 각형이 증가하고 개선되었다.

• 한국자기학회지
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.47-51
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• 2015

이 연구에서는 DC스퍼터링(DC Magnetron Sputtering)방식으로 제작 된 MgO 터널 장벽층을 갖는 자기터널접합을 급속 열처리 방식(Rapid Thermal Annealing)을 이용하여 열처리 공정 중의 구조적, 조성적 변화 및 스핀 수송 특성의 변화를 연구하였다. 본 연구를 통하여 급속 열처리 방식이 기존 일반적인 열처리 방식에 비하여 높은 터널링자기저항비를 얻을 수 있다는 것을 발견하였다. 또한, 열처리 시간의 단축을 통하여 Mn, Ta, Ru 등의 내부물질의 인접한 층으로의 확산을 억제할 수 있다는 것을 알 수 있었다. 유의미한 데이터를 수집하기 위하여 다양한 열처리 온도 조건과 시간조건에서 급속 열처리를 실시 한 후 자기 터널 접합의 전, 자기적 특성을 관찰하였다. 이러한 특성 변화는 향후 보다 우수하고 안정적인 자기적 특성과 열적 안정성을 갖는 자기터널접합 제작을 위해 다양하게 응용될 수 있다고 생각된다.

• 한국자기학회지
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• 제16권6호
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• pp.276-278
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• 2006

스위칭 특성을 향상시키기 위하여 비정질 강자성 CoFeSiB 자유층을 갖는 자기터널접합 (MTJ)의 스위칭 특성을 연구하였다. 자기터널접합의 구조는 $Si/SiO_{2}/Ta$ 45/Ru 9.5/IrMn 10/CoFe 10/CoFe $7/AlO_{x}/CoFeSiB\;(t)/Ru\;60\;(nm)$이다. CoFeSiB는 $560\;emu/cm^{3}$의 낮은 포화자화도와 $2800\;erg/cm^{3}$의 높은 이방성 상수를 가졌다. 이러한 특성이 자기터널접합의 낮은 보자력($H_{c}$)과 높은 자장민감도를 갖게 한다. 이것은 또한 Landau-Lisfschitz-Gilbert 방정식에 근거한 미세자기 전산시뮬레이션을 통하여 submicrometersized elements에서도 확인하였다. CoFeSiB 자유층 두께를 증가함으로서 스위칭 특성은 반자화 자기장의 증가로 인하여 더욱더 나빠졌다.

• 한국자기학회지
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• 제15권6호
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• pp.311-314
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• 2005

본 연구에서는 Al-Oxide(AIOx) 에 Ti를 첨가하여. Ti 함량에 따라 자기터널접합의 자기터널링 현상 변화 및 TiA l합금박막의 미세구조, 표면거칠기 변화를 관찰하였다. Ti를 첨가한 TiAlOx 절연층을 사용하여 기존 AlOx를 사용한 경우 보다 높은 터널링 자기저항(Tunneling Magnetoresistance, TMR) 비를 가지는 자기터널접합을 제작하였다. TMR 비의 증가 요인은 Ti를 첨가함에 따라, TiAl 합금박막의 입계가 작아지고, 치밀한 구조를 가져, 우수한 계면평활도를 가지는 균일한 TiAlOx 절연층이 형성되어, 소자의 구조적 안정성이 향상되었기 때문으로 분석하였다. 또한 향상된 구조적 안정성으로 인해 소자의 열적, 전기적 안정성도 크게 증가하였다.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• 제2권3호
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• pp.185-196
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• 2002

MRAM(magnetic random access memory) is a promising candidate for a universal memory with non-volatile, fast operation speed and low power consumption. The simplest architecture of MRAM cell is a combination of MTJ(magnetic tunnel junction) as a data storage part and MOS transistor as a data selection part. This article will review the general development status of MRAM and discuss the issues. The key issues of MRAM technology as a future memory candidate are resistance control and low current operation for small enough device size. Switching issues are controllable with a choice of appropriate shape and fine patterning process. The control of fabrication is rather important to realize an actual memory device for MRAM technology.

• 한국진공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국진공학회 2012년도 제42회 동계 정기 학술대회 초록집
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• pp.390-390
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• 2012

Information technology industries has grown rapidly and demanded alternative memories for the next generation. The most popular random access memory, dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), has many advantages as a memory, but it could not meet the demands from the current of developed industries. One of highlighted alternative memories is magnetic random-access memory (MRAM). It has many advantages like low power consumption, huge storage, high operating speed, and non-volatile properties. MRAM consists of magnetic-tunnel-junction (MTJ) stack which is a key part of it and has various magnetic thin films like CoFeB, FePt, IrMn, and so on. Each magnetic thin film is difficult to be etched without any damages and react with chemical species in plasma. For improving the etching process, a high density plasma etching process was employed. Moreover, the previous etching gases were highly corrosive and dangerous. Therefore, the safety etching gases are needed to be developed. In this research, the etch characteristics of CoFeB magnetic thin films were studied by using an inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching in $CH_4/O_2/Ar$ gas mixes. TiN thin films were used as a hardmask on CoFeB thin films. The concentrations of $O_2$ in $CH_4/O_2/Ar$ gas mix were varied, and then, the rf coil power, gas pressure, and dc-bias voltage. The etch rates and the selectivity were obtained by a surface profiler and the etch profiles were observed by a field emission scanning electron microscopy. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was employed to reveal the etch mechanism.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제13권6호
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• pp.369-373
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• 2003

Magneto-optic Kerr Effect(MOKE), AFM and magnetoresistance measurements have been carried out on as-deposited and annealed Magnetic Tunnel Junctions(MTJs) with junction sizes 180, 250, 320 and 380 $\mu\textrm{m}$ in order to investigate the correlation among interlayer exchange coupling, surface roughness and junction size. Relatively irregular variations of coercivity $H_{c}$ (∼17.5 Oe) and interlayer exchange coupling $H_{E}$ (∼17.5 Oe) are observed over the junction in as-deposited sample prepared by DC magnetron sputtering. After annealing at $200^{\circ}C$, $H_{c}$ decreases to 15 Oe, while $H_{ E}$ increases to 20 Oe with smooth local variation. $H_{E}$ shows very good correlation with surface roughness across the junction in agreement with Neel's orange peel coupling. The increasing slope per $\mu\textrm{m}$ of normalized $H_{c}$ and $H_{E}$ are same near junction edge along free-layer direction irrespective of junction size, giving relatively uniform $H_{c}$ and $H_{ E}$ for wider junction size. Thickness profiles of the junctions measured with $\alpha$-step show increasingly flat top surface for larger junctions, indicating better uniformity for large. junctions in agreement with the normalized$ H_{c}$ and H$/_{E}$ curves. TMR ratios also increase with increasing junction size, indicating improvement for larger uniform junctions.