• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.272-277
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• 2001

A spin valve structure of Ta/NiFe/CoFe/Cu/CoFe/Ru/CoFe/FeMn/Ta which has a synthetic antiferromagnet (CoFe/Ru/CoFe), was fabricated by using a magnetron sputtering system. The thickness and composition of magnetic free and pinned layers affect the magnetic properties such as exchange interaction strength of each layer and so on. Even though Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) has advantages of quantitative and non-destructive analysis, it is almost impossible to determine the thickness and composition of magnetic thin films using lBS because of its poor mass resolution for a higher atom number (Z>20). In this study, quantitative analysis of the element composition and thickness for the spin valve sample was performed by combining both Proton Induced X-ray Emission Spectrometry (PIXE), which is one of element specific analysis techniques, and grazing-exit RBS with a highly improved depth resolution and absolute quantitative analysis. For the quantitative analysis, standardization of PIXE was carried out with NiFe, CoFe, and FeMn layers, which are one of constituent layers of spin valve films. Through PIXE standardization and the aid of PHE experimental results of the spin valve sample, ire overlapped signal in a grazing-exit RBS spectrum were successfully resolved and the thickness of the Ru layer was determined with a resolution of ∼1 .

• 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.