• Electrical & Electronic Materials
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• v.10 no.7
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• pp.645-650
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• 1997

We manufactured CoNbZr/Cu/CoNbZr multi-layer films by rf magnetron sputtering methods and formed the patterns on the deposited multi-layer films. In this study, we fabricated a new etchant for forming the patterns by the wet etching with etchant and we searched for the best etching conditions and the etchant composition. Cu was etched selectively independent on the concentration of iron chloride solution, but amorphous CoNbZr thin film did not. The etchant was achieved by iron chloride solution(17.5 mol%) mixed with HF (20 mol%) during 150 sec, which etched CoNbZr/Cu/CoNbZr multi-layer films at the same time. Also, the etchant etched CoNbZr/Cu/CoNbZr multi-layer films by the three-step. It was shown that the cross-section had the isotropic structure and excellent etching characteristics with the above etchant.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 1997.04a
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• pp.141-145
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• 1997

스퍼터링법으로 제조한 CoNbZr/Cu/CoNbZr 다층막에 대해 습식 식각법으로 패턴을 형성하기 위해 새로운 식각 용액을 제조하여 이 용액의 최적의 식각 조건에 대해 연구하였다. 염기성 수용액은 농도에 관계없이 Cu만을 선택적으로 식각하며 CoNbZr 비정질 박막은 식각하지 않았다. 그러나, 본 연구에서 제조 한 17.5 mol%의 염기성 수용액에 HF를 20 mol% 혼합한 식각 용액으로 CoNbZr/Cu/CoNbZr 다층막을 동시에 식각할 수 있었다. 또한 이 식각 용액은 CoNbZr/Cu/CoNbZr 다층막을 3단계로 식각하고 식각된 단면은 이방성 구조를 가지며, 매우 우수한 식각 특성을 나타내었다.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.96-100
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• 1997

A spin valve structure of NiO(40 nm)/Co(2 nm)/Cu(2.6 nm)/Co(x nm)/Ta(5 nm) has been investigated for the application of magnetic random access memory (MRAM). The spin valve structure exhibited very large difference in the coercivities between pinned and free layers, a relatively high GMR ratio, and a low free layer coercivity. The spin valves were prepared by sputtering and were characterized by dc 4-point probe, and VSM. The spin valves with combined free layer exhibited a maximun GMR ratio of 10.4% with a free layer coercivity of about 82 Oe. The spin valves with a single 10 nm thick a-CoNbZr free layer exhibited a GMR ratio of about 4.3% with a free layer coercivity of about 12 Oe. The GMR ratio of the spin valves increased by addition of Co between Cu and a-CoNbZr. It has been confirmed that the coercivity of free layer can be decreased by increasing the thickness of a-CoNbZr. It has been confirmed that the coercivity of free layer can be decreased by increasing the thickness of a-CoNbZr layer without losing the GMR ratio substantially, which was mainly due to high resistivity of the amorphous "layers".

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.20-24
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• 1994

The read/write characteristics of CoCr/NiFe double layered media are strongly affected by the magnetic properties of NiFe magnetic soft layer as well as those of CoCr recording layer. Modification of the permalloy layer by NiFe/Ge multilayer scheme resulted in the higher recording sensitivity and the higher reproduced voltage of CoCr/NiFe medium and this is attributed to the higher permeability of the back layer and high perpendicular anisotropy of the CoCr recording layer. Although higher permeability of back layer results in higher recording sensitivity, the increment of the reproduced voltage was not remarkable, which can be confirmed in the FEM numerical analysis. On the contrary, peak shift characteristics of the CoCr/NiFe medium with the NiFe multi back layer was deteriorated compared to that of the CoCr/NiFe medium with NiFe single back layer. Insertion of ferromagnetic thin CoZrNb intermediate layer between CoCr and NiFe layer was effective to ensure large reproduced voltage and low peak shift. These recoridng characteristics were also discussed in connection with microstructural characteristics.

• The Journal of Engineering Research
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.33-38
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• 2004

To investigate the reliability of the MTJs on the roughness of insulating tunnel barrier, we prepared two MTJs with the different uniformity of barrier thickness. Namely, the one has uniform insulating barrier thickness; the other has non-uniform insulating barrier thickness as compared to different thing. As to depositing amorphous layer CoZrNb under the pinning layer IrMn, we achieved MTJ with uniform barrier thickness. Toinvestigate the reliability of the MTJs dependent on the bottom electrode, time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) measurements were carried out under constant voltage stress. The Weibull fit of out data shows clearly that $t_{BD}$ scales with the thickness uniformity of MTJs tunnel barrier. Assuming a linear dependence of log($t_{BD}$) on stress voltages, we obtained the lifetime of $10^4$years at a operating voltage of 0.4 V at MTJs comprising CoNbZr layers. This study shows that the reliabilityof new MTJs structure was improved due to the ultra smooth barrier, because the surface roughness of the bottom electrode influenced the uniformity of tunnel barrier.

• 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.11 no.2
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• pp.45-49
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• 2001

Effects of multilayer structure and annealing condition on the soft magnetic properties of sputtered Fe/CoNbZr multilayers were investigated. We observed a minimum coercivity (1.1 Oe) at 5 nm thick Fe layer and the maximum permeability (2300) at 15 nm Fe layer and high saturation magnetization in the as-deposited state. As a result of increase of Fe grain size, coercivity increases with increasing Fe layer thickness. Degradation of ${\mu}$ at the thin Fe layer region may be due to the intermixed phase of high magnetostriction, such as CoFe. Optimum annealing condition was obtained through annealing at 300 $^{\circ}C$ for 40 min (${\mu}$=2500, H$\sub$c/=0.35 Oe). Enhancement of permeability was observed in the temperature range of 250∼300$^{\circ}C$. These results may closely be related with lowering the anisotropy energy by lattice deformation (0.4%) and enhanced uniaxial anisotropy.

• Electrical & Electronic Materials
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• v.10 no.8
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• pp.813-818
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• 1997

In this study the thin film air core and magnetic core inductors consisting of planar coil and/or CoNbZr amorphous magnetic layers on a Si substrate were fabricated as spiral type by using rf magnetron sputtering and wet etching methods. The etchant solution was achieved by iron chloride solution(17.5 mol%) mixed with HF (20 mol%) during 150 sec which etched Cu films and CoNbZr/Cu/CoNbZr multi-layer films. They were about 10${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ of thickness and 10$\times$10 mm$^2$of size. The properties of thin film magnetic core inductor were 400 nH of Q value at 10 MHz and the resonance frequency was about 300 MHz.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.171-174
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• 2000

In this study, the laser patterning of sputter-deposited amorphous CoNbZr films has been tried usig Nd: YAG laser. However, the metal film was not removed because of its high reflectance of the alser on the metal surface. To solve this problem, authors tried to screen-print a block polymer on the metal film and then irradiate the laser on the polymer. This is a new method which was suggested by this study. Using this new method, the metal films were effectively removed with the laser power of 114W even though the metal films was not removed with the laser power of 332W using the conventional method. This result leads to the conclusion that the block polymer acts as a laser energy absorbing and transferring layer.

• Proceedings of the Korean Magnestics Society Conference
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• 2003.12a
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• pp.110-110
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• 2003