• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.61-66
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• 2005

In order to make submicron cell for spin-injection device, lift-off method using Pt stencil and wet etching was chosen. This approach allows batch fabrication of stencil substrate with electron-beam lithography. It simplifies the process between magnetic film stack deposition and final device testing, thus enabling rapid turnaround in sample fabrication. Submicron junctions with size of $200nm{\times}300nm$ and $500nm{\times}500nm$ 500 nm and pseudo spin valve structure of $CoFe(30{\AA})/Cu(100{\AA})/CoFe(120{\AA}$) was deposited into the nanojunctions. MR ratio was 0.8 and $1.1{\%}$, respectively and spin transfer effect was confirmed with critical current of $7.65{\times}10^7A/cm^2$.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.233-238
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• 2003

Ferromagnetic tunnel junctions, Ta/Cu/Ta/NiFe/Cu/$Mn_{75}$ $Ir_{25}$ $Co_{70}$ $Fe_{30}$/Al-oxide, were fabricated by do magnetron sputtering and plasma oxidation process. The effect of annealing temperature on the local transport properties of the ferromagnetic tunnel junctions was studied using contact-mode Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The current images reflected the distribution of the barrier height determined by local I-V analysis. The contrast of the current image became more homogeneous and smooth after annealing at $280^{\circ}C$. And the average barrier height $\phi_{ave}$ increased and its standard deviation $\sigma_{\phi}$ X decreased. For the cases of the annealing temperature more than $300^{\circ}C$, the contrast of the current image became large again. And the average barrier height $\phi_{ave}$ decreased and its standard deviation $\sigma_{\phi}$ increased. Also, the current histogram had a long tail in the high current region and became asymmetric. This result means the generation of the leakage current that is resulted from the local generation of a low barrier height region. In order to obtain the high tunnel magnetoresistance(TMR) ratio, the increase of the average barrier height and the decrease of the barrier height fluctuation must be strictly controlled.led.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.227-231
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• 2008

Magnetic and structural properties of CoFeZr alloy films as a function of Zr concentration and magnetoresistive properties of spin valves incorporated with amorphous CoFeZr alloy films have been studied. Magnetization and coercivity of CoFeZr alloy films decreased as the Zr content increased. A single amorphous CoFeZr phase was formed when the Zr content is about above 18 at%. Magnetoresistance ratio and exchange coupling field of spin valves with amorphous CoFeZr were reduced slightly as compared with spin valves with CoFe because the resistance of amophous CoFeZr is higher than that of crystalline CoFe. However, the ${\Delta}{\rho}$ of spin valves with amorphous CoFeZr was improved due to reduction of current shunting.

• 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.72-77
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• 2001

Top spin valve films with PtMn antiferromagnetic layers were deposited using a multi-target dc magnetron sputtering in (100)Si substrates overcoated with 500 $\AA$ of Al$_2$O$_3$. Firstly, the post-deposition annealing was performed at 270$\^{C}$ in a unidirectional magnetic field of 3 kOe to induce the crystallographic transformation of the PtMn layer from a fcc (111) to a fct (111) structure. Secondly, the spin valve films were annealed without magnetic fields and magnetic properties were measured. In Si/A1$_2$O$_3$ (500$\AA$)/Ta(50$\AA$)NiFe(40$\AA$)/CoFe(17$\AA$)/Cu(28$\AA$)/CoFe (30$\AA$)PtMn(200$\AA$)Ta(50$\AA$) top spin valve samples, the MR ratio decreased slowly with increasing annealing temperature up to 325$\^{C}$. But above 325$\^{C}$, the MR ratio decreased rapidly to 1%, due to a collapse of the exchange coupling between a antiferromagnetic layer and a pinned layer with increasing annealing temperature. Also above 325$\^{C}$, the exchange biased field rapidly decreased and the interlayer coupling field rapidly increased with increasing annealing temperature. A change in the interlayer coupling field was resulted from the increase in interface roughness due to Mn-interdiffusion through the grain boundaries. We confirmed the temperature in changing magnetic properties agreed well with the blocking temperature of PtMn based spin valve structure.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.242-250
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• 1996

The effects of annealing in magnetic field after deposition on electromagnetic properties of $Ni_{81}Fe_{19}$ thin($400\;{\AA}$) films prepared by RF-magnetron sputtering were investigated in terms of microstructure and surface morphology. The coercivity of the films was decreased below $300^{\circ}C$ due to stress relief and recrystallization, while increased at $400^{\circ}C$ due to grain growth and increasing the surface roughness. And then, $4{\pi}M_{s}$, was almost independent of annealing temperatures. Increasing the annealing temperature. the electrical resistivity of films was decreased from $37\;{\mu}{\Omega}cm$ to $24\;{\mu}{\Omega}cm$, the magnetoresistance was nearly a constant of about $0.6\;{\mu}{\Omega}cm$, and the MR ratio was increased from 1.5 % to 3.1 %. Therefore, It was shown that increasing the magnetoresistive ratio was mainly affected by decreasing the electrical resistivity. Considering the practical application of the films for magnetoresistive heads, optimal annealing conditions was obtained after one hour annealing at $300^{\circ}C$ in 400 Oe unidirectional magnetic field.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.211-216
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• 2001

Top synthetic spin valves wi th structure Ta/NiFe/CoFe/Cu/CoFe(Pl)/Ru/CoFe(P2)/FeMn/Ta on Si (100) substrate with SiO$_2$ of 1500 were prepared by dc magnetron sputtering system. We have changed only the thickness of the free layer and the thickness difference (Pl-P2) in the two ferromagnetic layers separated by Ru, and investigated the effect of magnetic film thickness on the GMR properties and the interlayer coupling field in a spin valve with a synthetic antiferromagnet. As thickness difference of pinned layer was decreased from +25 to -25 , MR ratio was decreased gradually. However, there was a dip zone indicating a big change of MR ratio around Pl = P2, which can be due to the large canting of pinned layers. The modified Neel model was suggested for the top synthetic spin valve to explain the interlayer coupling field according to the thickness change of ferromagnetic layers. The interlayer coupling field was decreased due to the magnetostatic coupling (orange peel coupling) as suggested by model. However, the interlayer coupling field was not explained at the dip zone by the modified Neel model. The deviation of modified Neel model at the dip zone could be due to the largely canting of the pinned layers as well, which depends on different thickness in synthetic antiferromagnetic structure.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.228-231
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• 2004

We have studied local magnetization reversal and magnetic properties induced by Laser annealing method in the strip-patterned Ta/NiFe/FeMn/Ta and Ta/NiFe/FeMn/NiFe/Ta multilayers fabricated by ion-beam deposition. The films were exposed to the emission of the DPSS (Diode Pumped Solid State, Nd:YAG) laser under 600 G. The laser beam intensity increased up to 440 mW. When the laser illuminated the patterned film with the power of above 200 m W, the intensity of MR peak located in +87 Oe shrunk. A new MR peak was generated at -63 Oe. When the laser power is 400 mW, the location of positive MR peak(H$\sub$ex/) was changed slightly from +87 Oe to +76 Oe, and the MR ratio was decreased from 0.9% to 0.1 %. On the other hand, the new (negative) MR peak shifted from -63 Oe to -80 Oe, with the MR ratio increased up to 0.3%. As the illuminated area expanded, the intensity of opposite MR peak increased and it of negative MR peak decreased. This proved that the local reversal of exchange biasing should be realized by laser annealing.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.226-230
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• 2005

In this research, magnetic properties and annealing effects of the spin valve structures were investigated, which have Ta underlayer deposited with Ar and $N_2$ gas mixture. Also, TaN underlayer as a diffusion barrier and the substrate were investigated. The structure of the spin valve was Si($SiO_2$)/Ta(TaN)/NiFe/CoFe/Cu/CoFe/FeMn/Ta. Deposition rate was decreased and resistivity and roughness of the TaN films were increased as the $N_2$ gas flow was increased. The XRD results after high temperature annealing showed that Silicides were created in Si/Ta layer, but not in Si/TaN layer. Magnetoresistance ratio (MR) and exchange coupling field ($H_{ex}$) were decreased when the $N_2$ gas flow was increased over 4.0 sccm. The MR of the spin valves with Ta and TaN films deposited with up to 4.0 sccm of $N_2$ gas flow was increased about $0.5\%$ until the annealing temperature of up to $200^{\circ}C$ and then, decreased. TaN film deposited with 8.0 sccm of $N_2$ gas flow showed twice the adhesion of the Ta film. The above results indicate that with 3.0 sccm of $N_2$ gas flow during the Ta underlayer deposition, the magnetic properties of the spin valves are maintained, while the underlayer may be used as a diffusion barrier and the adhesion between the Si substrate and the underlayer is increased.

• 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.