• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.136-139
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• 2006

The tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) ratios of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs), in general, decrease abruptly above 250$^{\circ}C$ due to Mn interdiffusion from an antiferromagnet IrMn layer to a ferromagnetic CoFe and/or a tunnel barrier. To improve thermal stability, we prepared MTJs with nano-oxide layers. Using a MTJ structure consisting of underlayer CoNbZr 4/bufferlayer CoFe 10/antiferromaget IrMn 7.5/pinned layer CoFe 3/tunnel barrier AlO/freelayer CoFe 3/capping CoNbZr 2 (nm), we placed a nano-oxide layer (NOL) into the underlayer or bufferlayer. Then, the thermal, structural and magneto-electric properties were measured. The TMR ratio, surface flatness, and thermal stability of the MTJs with NOLs were promoted.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.702-709
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• 1995

In this paper we review recent work in our laboratory on nanocomposite CoSm-based films including CoSm with Cr underlayer (CoSm//Cr), exchange-coupled magnetic films consisting of CoSm and FeCo layers (CoSm/FeCo), and CoSm multilayers with nonmagnetic spacing layers of SmO (CoSm/SmO). The emphasis is on detailed investigations of microstructure and magnetic properties for CoSm//Cr films, exchange-spring effects for CoSm/FeCo films, and interlayer effects for (CoSm/ SmO) multilayers.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.13-16
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• 2004

Magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) comprising amorphous CoNbZr layers have been investigated. $Co_{85.5}Nb_8Zr_{6.5}$(in at. %) layers were employed to substitute the traditionally used Ta layers with an emphasis given on under-standing underlayer effect. The typical junction structure was $SiO_2/CoNbZr$ or Ta 2/CoFe 8/IrMn 7.5/CoFe 3/Al 1.6 + oxidation/CoFe 3/CoNbZr or Ta 2 (nm). For both as-deposited state and after annealing, the CoNbZr-underlayered structure showed superior surface smoothness up to the tunnel barrier than Ta-underlayerd one (rms roughness of 0.16 vs. 0.34 nm). CoNbZr-based MTJs was proven beneficial for increasing thermal stability and increasing $V_h$ (the bias voltage where MR ratio becomes half) characteristics than Ta-based MTJs. This is because the CoNbZr-based junctions offer smoother interface structure than the Ta-based one.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.342-349
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• 2009

This study investigated the growth characteristics of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by changing a period of annealing time and a $C_{2}H_{2}/H_2$ flow ratio at temperature as low as $450^{\circ}C$ with inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition. The 1-nm-thick Fe-Ni-Co alloy thin film served as a catalyst layer for the growth of CNTs, which was thermally evaporated on the 15-nm-thick Al underlayer deposited on the 50-nm-thick Ti diffusion barrier. The annealing at low temperature of $450^{\circ}C$ brought about almost no granulation of the catalyst layer, and the CNT growth was not affected by a period of annealing time. A study of changing the flow rate of $C_{2}H_{2}$ and $H_2$ showed that as the ratio of the $C_{2}H_{2}$ flow rate to the $H_2$ flow rate was lowered, the CNTs were grown to be longer With further decreasing the flow ratio, the length of CNTs reached the maximum and then became shorter. Under the optimized gas flow rates, we successfully synthesized CNTs with a uniform length over a 4-inch Si wafer at $450^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.450-455
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• 2004

NiCr thin films were fabricated by thermal evaporation method using NiCr alloy as evaporating source. NiCr thin films were annealed at various temperatures in air atmosphere in order to investigate effects of annealing conditions on phase change, composition, and microstructures of NiCr films. Typical multilayer was formed after annealing in air atmosphere. This results from the diffusion and oxidation of Cr toward surface during annealing. In the case of annealing at 700$^{\circ}C$, large columnar grains of NiO were formed on Cr-oxide layer through the diffusion and oxidation of Ni over Cr-oxide layer. Especially, NiO layer was formed additionally on surface, sustaining the underlayer structure with the formation of porous Ni layer.