• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.315-319
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• 2005

To obtain low switching field ($H_{SW}$) we introduced amorphous ferromagnetic $Co_{70.5}Fe_{4,5}Si_{15}B_{10}$ single and synthetic antiferromagnet (SAF) free layers in magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs). The switching characteristics for MTJs with structures $Si/SiO_2/Ta$ 45/Ru 9.5/IrMn 10/CoFe 7/AlOx/CoFeSiB 7 or CoFeSiB (t)/Ru 1.0/CoFeSiB (7-t)/Ru 60 (in nm) were investigated and compared to MTJs with $Co_{75}Fe_{25}$ and $Ni_{80}Fe_{20}$ free layers. CoFeSiB showed a lower saturation magnetization of $560 emu/cm^3$ and a higher anisotropy constant of $2800\;erg/cm^3$ than CoFe and NiFe, respectively. An exchange coupling energy ($J_{ex}$) of $-0.003erg/cm^2$ was observed by inserting a 1.0 nm Ru layer in between CoFeSiB layers. In the CoFeSiB single and SAF free layer MTJs, it was frond that the size dependence of the $H_{SW}$ originated from the lower $J_{ex}$ experimentally and by micromagnetic simulation based on the Landau-Lisfschitz-Gilbert equation. The CoFeSiB SAF structures showed lower $H_{SW}$ than that of NiFe, CoFe and CoFeSiB single structures. The CoFeSiB SAF structures were proved to be beneficial far the switching characteristics such as reducing the coercivity and increasing the sensitivity in micrometer to submicrometer-sized elements.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.17-22
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• 2004

We studied the magnetotransport properties of tunnel junctions with AlO and AlN barriers fabricated using microwave-excited plasma. The plasma nitridation process provided wider controllability than the plasma oxidization for the formation of MTJs with ultra-thin insulating layer, because of the slow nitriding rate of metal Al layers, comparing with the oxidizing rate of them. High tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) ratios of 49 and 44% with respective resistance-area product $(R{\times}A) of 3 {\times} 10^4 and 6 {\times} 10^3 {\Omega}{\mu}m^2$ were obtained in the Co-Fe/Al-N/Co-Fe MTJs. We conclude that AlN is a hopeful barrier material to realize MTJs with high TMR ratio and low $R{\times}A$ for high performance MRAM cells. In addition, in order to clarify the annealing temperature dependence of TMR, the local transport properties were measured for Ta $50{\AA} /Cu 200 {\AA}/Ta 50 {\AA}/Ni_{76}Fe_{24} 20 {\AA}/Cu 50 {\AA}/Mn_{75}Ir_{25} 100 {\AA}/Co_{71}Fe_{29} 40 {\AA}/Al-O$ junction with $d_{Al}= 8 {\AA} and P_{O2}{\times}t_{0X}/ = 8.4 {\times} 10^4$ at various temperatures. The current histogram statistically calculated from the electrical current image was well in accord with the fitting result considering the Gaussian distribution and Fowler-Nordheim equation. After annealing at $340^{\circ}C$, where the TMR ratio of the corresponding MTJ had the maximum value of 44%, the average barrier height increased to 1.12 eV and its standard deviation decreased to 0.1 eV. The increase of TMR ratio after annealing could be well explained by the enhancement of the average barrier height and the reduction of its fluctuation.

• 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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• 2003.06a
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• pp.21-21
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• 2003

Microstructure and magnetic transport phenomina in rf sputtered AlN/Co type ten-layered discontinuous films of nanoscaled [AlN (3 nm)/Co (t nm)]...$\sub$10/ with t$\sub$Co/=1.0∼2.0 nm have been investigated. The microstructure and tunneling magnetic resistance of the samples are strongly dependent on the thickness of Co layer. Negative tunneling magneto-resistance due to the spin-dependent transport has been observed along the current-in-plane configuration in the samples having the Co layers below 1.6 nm thick. When the thickness of Co layer was less than 1,2 nm, randomly oriented granular Co particles were completely isolated and embedded in amorphous AlN matrix, and the films showed the superparamagnetic behavior with a high MR value of Δ$\rho$/$\rho$$\sub$0/=1.8 %. As t$\sub$Co/ increases, a transition from the regime of co-existence of superparamagnetic and ferromagnetic behaviors to ferromagnetic behavior was observed. Tunneling barrier called "decay length for tunneling" for the films having the thickness of Co layer from 1.4 to 1.6 nm was measured to be ranged from 0.004 to 0.021 ${\AA}$$\^$-1/.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.98-102
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• 2003

Microstructure and magnetic transport phenomina in rf sputtered AIN/CO type ten- layered discontinuous films of nanoscaled [AIN(3 nm)/Co(t nm)]…$_10$ with t$_Co$=1.0∼2.0 nm have been investigated. The microstructure and tunneling magnetic resistance of the samples are strongly dependent on the thickness of Co layer, Negative tunneling magneto-resistance due to the spin-dependent transport has been observed along the current-in-plane configuration in the samples having the Co layers below 1.6 nm thick. When the thickness of Co layer was less than 1.2 nm, randomly oriented granular Co particles were completely isolated and embedded in amorphous AIN matrix, and the films showed the superparamagnetic behavior with a high MR value of ${\Delta}p/p_0$=1.8%. As t$_Co$ increases, a transition from the regime of co-existence of superparamagnetic and ferromagnetic behaviors to ferromagnetic behavior was observed. funneling barrier called “decay length far tunneling” fur the films haying the thickness of Co layer from 1.4 to 1.6 nm was measured to be ranged from 0.004 to 0.021 ${\AA}$$^{-1}$.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.127-131
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• 2002

We fabricated MTJ devices that have doubly oxidized tunnel barrier using plasma oxidation method to from oxidized AlO$\sub$x/ tunnel barrier. Doubly oxidation I, which sputtered 10 ${\AA}$-bottom Al layer and oxidized it with oxidation time of 10 s. Subsequent sputtering of 13 ${\AA}$-Al was performed and the metallic layer was oxidized for 50, 80 and 120 s., respectively. Doubly oxidation II, which sputtered 10 ${\AA}$-bottom Al layer and oxidized it varying oxidation time for 30∼120 s. Subsequent sputtering of 13 ${\AA}$-Al was performed and the metallic layer was oxidized for 210 sec. Double oxidation process specimen showed MR ratio of above 27％ in all experiment range. Singly oxidation process. 13 ${\AA}$-Al layer and oxidized up to 210 s, showed less MR ratio and more narrow process window than those of doubly oxidation. Cross-sectional TEM images would that doubly oxidized barrowers were thinner and denser than singly oxidized ones. XPS characterization confirmed that doubly oxidation of Fe with bottom insulating layer. As a result, doubly oxidation could have superior MR ratio in process extent during long oxidation time because of preventing oxidation of bottom magnetic layer than singly oxidation.

• 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.68-72
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• 2002

In this research, the effects of capacitance to the access time were studied at the junction area of tunneling magnetoresistance when these were used as memory devices. These results were obtained by applying electric signal input and magnetic field was not used. We applied bipolar square waves of 1MHz to the MTJ samples to obtain the results and time constant ($\tau$) calculated by observing wave responses utilizing an oscilloscope. And time constant was compared with junction area. Each part of MTJ sample, such as electrical pad, lead and contact area, was modeled as an electrical equivalent circuit based on experimental results. For the 200㎛$\times$200㎛ cell, junction capacitance was 90 pF. Also, measurement and simulation results were compared, which showed those similarity.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.02a
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• pp.77-77
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• 2011

These days, a growing demand for memory device is filled up with the flash memory and the dynamic random access memory (DRAM). Although DRAM is a reasonable solution for current demand, the universal novel memory with high density, high speed and nonvolatility, needs to be developed. Among various new memories, the magnetic random access memory (MRAM) device is considered as one of good candidate memories because of excellent features including high density, high speed, low operating power and nonvolatility. The etching of MTJ stack which is composed of magnetic materials and insulator such as MgO is one of the vital process for MRAM. Recently, MgO has attracted great interest in the MTJ stack as tunneling barrier layer for its high tunneling magnetoresistance values. For the successful realization of high density MRAM, the etching process of MgO thin films should be investigated. Until now, there were some works devoted to the investigations on etch characteristics of MgO thin films. Initially, ion milling was applied to the etching of MgO thin films. However, ion milling has many disadvantages such as sidewall redeposition and etching damage. High density plasma etching containing the magnetically enhanced reactive ion etching and high density reactive ion etching have been employed for the improvement of etching process. In this work, inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching (ICPRIE) system was adopted for the improvement of etching process using MgO thin films and etching gas mixes of $CH_4$/Ar and $CH_4$/$O_2$/Ar have been employed. The etch rates are measured by a surface profilometer and etch profiles are observed using field emission scanning emission microscopy (FESEM). The effects of gas concentration and etch parameters such as coil rf power, dc-bias voltage to substrate, and gas pressure on etch characteristics will be systematically explored.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.13 no.6
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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.