• Proceedings of the Korean Magnestics Society Conference
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• 2002.12a
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• pp.152-153
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• 2002

The report on large tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) at room temperature in magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJ), composed of two ferromagnetic electrodes separated by a thin insulating barrier, has ignite the intensive research both from scientific and technological points of view. A simple model proposed by Juliere has explained the observed TMR surprisingly well, where the TMR is expressed in terms of the spin polarization P of the ferromagnetic electrodes. (omitted)

• Proceedings of the Korean Magnestics Society Conference
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• 2002.12a
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• pp.72-73
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• 2002

MR(Magnetoresistance)현상이란 인가된 자장에 의해 저항이 변하는 현상이다. 이 현상은 여러 측면에서 연구되고 있고 그 중 TMR(Tunneling Magnetoresistance)현상은 sensor, head, memory device의 적용에 대한 연구가 진행 중에 있다. 특히 memory 소자 측면에서 MRAM은 현재 사용되고 있는 DRAM이나 SRAM들과는 달리 비휘발성과 기록밀도의 고집적 등 많은 장점을 갖는 소자로써 연구되고 있다. (중략)

• Proceedings of the Korean Magnestics Society Conference
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• 2008.12a
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• pp.187.1-187.1
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• 2008

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.271-274
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• 2010

We examined the tunneling current behaviors of magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) cells utilizing conductive atomic force microscopy (AFM) interfaced with an external magnetic field generator. By introducing current through coils, a magnetic field was generated and then controlled by a current feedback circuit. This enabled the characterization of the tunneling current under various magnetic fields. The current-voltage (I-V) property was measured using a contact mode AFM with a metal coated conducting cantilever at a specific magnetic field intensity. The obtained magnetoresistance (MR) ratios of the MTJ cells were about 21% with no variation seen from the different sized MTJ cells; the value of resistance $\times$ area (RA) were 8.5 K-12.5 K $({\Omega}{\mu}m^2)$. Since scanning probe microscopy (SPM) performs an I-V behavior analysis of ultra small size without an extra electrode, we believe that this novel characterization method utilizing an SPM will give a great benefit in characterizing MTJ cells. This novel method gives us the possibility to measure the electrical properties of ultra small MTJ cells, namely below $0.1\;{\mu}m\;{\times}\;0.1\;{\mu}m$.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.524-530
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• 2008

The spin valve tunneling magnetoresistance (SV-TMR) sensor performance is analyzed using Stoner-Wohlfarth model for the detection of eddy current signals in nondestructive testing applications. The SV-TMR response in terms of the applied AC magnetic field dominantly generates the second harmonic amplitude in hard axis direction. The second harmonic eddy current signal detection using SV-TMR sensor shows higher performance than that of the coil sensor at lower frequencies. The SV-TMR sensor with high sensitivity gives a good solution to improve the low frequency performance in comparison with the inductive coil sensors. Therefore, the low frequency eddy current techniques based on SV-TMR sensors are specially useful in the detection of hidden defects, and it can be applied to detect the deeply embedded flaws or discontinuities in the conductive materials.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.126-128
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• 2001

The effect of rapid thermal anneal (RTA) has been investigated on the properties of an FeMn exchange-biased magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) using magnetoresistance and I-V measurements and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) in an as-grown MTJ is found to be ∼27%, while the TMR in MTJs annealed by RTA increases with annealing temperature up to 300$\^{C}$, reaching ∼46%. A TEM image reveals a structural change in the interface of A1$_2$O$_3$layer for the MTJ annealed by RTA at 300$\^{C}$. The oxide barrier parameters are found to vary abruptly with annealing time within a few ten seconds. Our results demonstrate that the present RTA enhances the magnetoresistive properties of MTJs.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.169-172
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• 2011

This study reports an alternative method for measuring the magnetoresistance of unpatterned magnetic tunnel junctions similar to the current-in-plane tunneling (CIPT) method. Instead of using microprobes, a series of point contacts with different spacings are coated on the top surface of the junctions and R-H loops at various spacings are then measured by the usual four-point probe method. The values of magnetoresistance and resistance-area products can be obtained by fitting the measured data to the CIPT theoretical model. The test results of two types of junctions were highly similar to those obtained from standard CIPT tools. The proposed method may help to accelerate the process for evaluating the quality of magnetic tunnel junctions when commercial CIPT tools are not accessible.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.170-181
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• 2006

Spin dependent tunneling has enormously activated the field of magnetism in general, and in particular spin transport studies, in the past ten years. Thousands of articles related to the subject have appeared with many fundamental results. Importantly, there is great interest in their potential for application. There was another surge of activity in this field since the past five years - created by the theoretical prediction of a large tunnel magnetoresistance that arises due to band symmetry matched coherent tunneling in epitaxial magnetic tunnel junctions with (001) MgO barrier and experimentally well demonstrated. This further development in the field has boosted the excitement in both fundamental science as well as the possibility of application in such as magnetic random access memory, ultra sensitive read heads, biosensors and spin torque diodes. This review is a brief coverage of the field highlighting the literature that deals with magnetic tunnel junctions having epitaxial MgO tunnel barriers.

• Proceedings of the Korean Magnestics Society Conference
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• 2002.12a
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• pp.174-175
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• 2002

A ramp-type tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) junction having structure NiO(60 nm)/pinned Co(10 nm)MiO(60 nm)/barrier SrTiO$_3$(2-10 nm)/free NiFe(10 nm) with the 15 degree slope was investigated. We obtained nonlinear I(V) characteristics for ramp-type tunneling junctions that have distinctive difference with and without applied magnetic field. In the barrier SrTiO$_3$ thickness of 4 nm, the TMR was about 52% at a bias voltage of 50 mV. (omitted)

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.24-31
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• 2003

The discoveries of antiferromagnetic coupling in Fe/Cr multilayers by Grunberg, the Giant Magneto Resistance by Fert and Grunberg and a large tunneling magnetoresistance at room temperature by Moodera have triggered enormous research on magnetic thin films and magnetoelectronic devices. Large opportunities are especially opened by the spin dependent tunneling resistance, where a strong dependence of the tunneling current on an external magnetic field can be found. We will briefly address important basic properties of these junctions like thermal, magnetic and dielectric stability and discuss scaling issues down to junction sizes below 0.01 $\mu\textrm{m}$$^2$with respect to single domain behavior, switching properties and edge coupling effects. The second part will give an overview on applications beyond the use of the tunneling elements as storage cells in MRAMs. This concerns mainly field programmable logic circuits, where we demonstrate the clocked operation of a programmed AND gate. The second 'unconventional' feature is the use as sensing elements in DNA or protein biochips, where molecules marked magnetically with commercial beads can be detected via the dipole stray field in a highly sensitive and relatively simple way.