• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.52-56
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• 2009

Interlayer coupling field, coercivity, magnetoresitance ratio, and magnetic sensitivity depending on the thickness of free CoFe layer for the CoFe/Cu/CoFe/IrMn multilayer are investigated. In case of CoFe layer of $30\;{\AA}$ thickness for the CoFe(t)/Cu($25\;{\AA}$)/CoFe($60\;{\AA}$)/IrMn($80\;{\AA}$) multilayer with ferromagnet/non-magnet/ferromagnet structure induced by IrMn layer, the lowest coercivity and the highest magnetic sensitivity, which is contained soft magnetic property, are observed. On the other side, in case of CoFe layer of $90\;{\AA}$ thickness, there are the highest coercivity and the lowest magnetic sensitivity. The fabricated CoFe($30\;{\AA}$)/Cu($25\;{\AA}$)/CoFe($60\;{\AA}$)]/IrMn($80\;{\AA}$) spin valve device with $2{\times}8{\mu}m^2$ patterning size are measured by two probe method, which is selected the sensing current as the longitudinal direction and the easy axis as the transversal direction. The measuring magntoresistance ratio and magnetic sensitivity of GMR-SV device having the soft magnetic property are 3.0% and 0.3%/Oe, respectively.

• 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 the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.203-209
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• 2000

Top synthetic spin valves with structure Ta/NiFe/CoFe/Cu/CoFe(P 1)/Ru/CoFe(P2)/FeMn/Ta on Si (100) substrate with natural oxide were prepared by dc magnetron sputtering system. We have changed only the thickness in free layers and the thickness difference (Pl-P2) in two ferromagnetic layers separated by Ru, and investigated the effect of magnetic film thickness on interlayer coupling field in spin valve with synthetic antiferromagnet. According to the decrease of free layer thickness, interlayer coupling field was increased due to the magnetostatic coupling(orange peel coupling). In case of t$\_$P1/>t$\^$P2/, interlayer coupling field agreed well with the modified Neel model suggested in conventional spin valve structures by Kools et al. However, in case of t$\_$P1/>t$\^$P2/, it was found that the interlayer coupling field was not explained by the Modified Neel Model and was confirmed the necessity of further remodeling. The dependence of Cu thickness on the interlayer coupling field was investigated and 10 Oe of interlayer coupling field was obtained when the Cu thickness is 32 $\AA$.

• 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 Magnetics Society
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.196-202
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• 2000

Top synthetic spin valves with structure Ta/NiFe/CoFe/Cu/CoFe(P1)/Ru/CoFe(P2)/FeMn/Ta on Si(100) substrate with natural oxide were prepared by dc magnetron sputtering system, and investigated on the magnetoresistance properties and effective exchange bias field. As the thickness of FeMn increased above 150 $\AA$, MR ratio was decreased due to the current shunting effect. As the thickness of free layer decreased below 40$\AA$, MR ratio was reduced rapidly. In case of 40 $\AA$ thick of free layer, spin valve film with a structure Si(100)/Ta(50 $\AA$)/NiFe(27 $\AA$)/CoFe(13 $\AA$)/Cu(26 $\AA$)/CoFe(30 $\AA$)/Ru(7 $\AA$)/CoFe(15 $\AA$)/FeMn(100 $\AA$)/Ta(50 $\AA$) exhibited maximum MR ratio of 7.5 % and an effective exchange bias field of 600 Oe, respectively. Thickness difference dependence in this synthetic spin valve structure on effective exchange field was investigated and interpreted by the analytical method. It should be noted that thickness increase of CoFe(P 1) and decrease of CoFe(P2) in synthetic antiferromagnet leaded to the decrease in effective exchange bias field by experimentally and analytically.

• 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.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.120-123
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• 2007

The typical double-barrier magnetic tunnel junction (DMTJ) structure examined in this paper consists of a Ta 45/Ru 9.5/IrMn 10/CoFe7/$AlO_x$/free layer/AlO/CoFe 7/IrMn 10/Ru 60 (nm). The free layer consists of an $Ni_{16}Fe_{62}Si_8B_{14}$ 7 nm, $Co_{90}Fe_{10}$ (fcc) 7 nm, or CoFe $t_1$/NiFeSiB $t_2$/CoFe $t_1$ layer in which the thicknesses $t_1$ and $t_2$ are varied. The DMTJ with an NiFeSiB-free layer had a tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) of 28%, an area-resistance product (RA) of $86\;k{\Omega}{\mu}m^2$, a coercivity ($H_c$) of 11 Oe, and an interlayer coupling field ($H_i$) of 20 Oe. To improve the TMR ratio and RA, a DMTJ comprising an amorphous NiFeSiB layer that could partially substitute for the CoFe free layer was investigated. This hybrid DMTJ had a TMR of 30%, an RA of $68\;k{\Omega}{\mu}m^2$, and a of 11 Oe, but an increased of 37 Oe. We confirmed by atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy that increased as the thickness of NiFeSiB decreased. When the amorphous NiFeSiB layer was thick, it was effective in retarding the columnar growth which usually induces a wavy interface. However, if the NiFeSiB layer was thin, the roughness was increased and became large because of the magnetostatic $N{\acute{e}}el$ coupling.

• 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.14 no.6
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• pp.236-239
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• 2004

We studied the specular spin valve (SSV) having the spin filter layer (SFL) in contact with the ultrathin free layer composed of Ta3/NiFe2/IrMn7/CoFel/(NOLl)/CoFe2/Cu1.8/CoFe( $t_{F}$)/Cu( $t_{SF}$ )/(NOL2)/Ta3.5 (in nm) by the magnetron sputtering system. For this antiferromagnetic I $r_{22}$M $n_{78}$-pinned spin filter specular spin valve (SFSSV) films, an optimal magnetoresistance (MR) ratio of 11.9% was obtained when both the free layer thickness ( $t_{F}$) and the SFL thickness ( $t_{SF}$ ) were 1.5 nm, and the MR ratio higher than 11% was maintained even when the $t_{F}$ was reduced to 1.0 nm. It was due to increase of specular electron by the nano-oxide layer (NOL) and of current shunting through the SFL. Moreover, the interlayer coupling field ( $H_{int}$) between free layer and pinned layer could be explained by considering the RKKY and magnetostatic coupling. The coercivity of the free layer ( $H_{cf}$ ) was significantly reduced as compared to the traditional spin valve (TSV), and was remained as low as 4 Oe when the $t_{F}$ varied from 1 nm to 4 urn. It was found that the SFL made it possible to reduce the free layer thickness and enhance the MR ratio without degrading the soft magnetic property of the free layer.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.210-219
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• 2000

The magnetoresistance characteristics of FeN/Co/Cu/Co and FeN/Co/Cu/Co/Cu/Co/FeN multilayers using ferromagnetic iron-nitrides (FeN) has been studied. The microstructure of FeN film is the mixed ${\alpha}$-Fe and $\varepsilon$-Fe$_3$N phase on the condition that the flow rate of N$_2$ gas is over 0.4 sccm. The magnetoresistance effect is observed because of shape magnetic anisotropy induced by needle-shaped $\varepsilon$-Fe$_3$N phase. This magnetoresistance effect changes, because the degree that the shape magnetic anisotropy adheres to the adjacent Co pinned layer is varied according to the flow rate of N$_2$ gas and the thickness of FeN film. The best magnetoresistance effect is obtained on the condition that the thickness of Co free layer is 70 ${\AA}$ and the maximum MR ratio(%) value of 3.2% shows in the FeN(250 ${\AA}$)/Co(70 ${\AA}$)/Cu(25 ${\AA}$)/Co(70 ${\AA}$)/Cu(25 ${\AA}$)/Co(70 ${\AA}$)/FeN(250 ${\AA}$) mutilayer film which is fabricated at the N, gas flow rate of 0.5 sccm and the FeN film thickness of 250 ${\AA}$. Four steps are observed in the magnetoresistance curve owing to this difference of coercive force, because respective magnetic layers in the multilayer possess different coercive forces. These effects observed in these mutilayer films can be expected to application to the memory device the same MRAM as can carry out simultaneously four signals.