• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.99-102
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• 2002

We fabricated TMR devices which have doubly oxidized tunnel barrier using plasma oxidation method to form homogeneously oxidized AlO tunnel barrier. We sputtered 10 $\AA$-bottom Al layer and oxidized it with oxidation time of 10 sec. Subsequent sputtering of 13 $\AA$-Al was performed and the metallic layer was oxidized for 50, 80, and 120 sec., respectively. The electrical resistance changed from 500 Ω to 2000 Ω with increase of oxidation time, while variation of MR ratio was little spreading 27∼31 % which is larger than that of TMR device of ordinary single tunnel barrier. We calculated effective barrier height and width by measuring I-V curves, from which we found the barrier height was 1.3∼1.8 eV sufficient for tunnel barrier, and the barrier width (<15.0 $\AA$) was smaller than physical thickness. Our results may be caused by insufficient oxidation of Al precursor into A1$_2$O$_3$. However, doubly oxidized tunnel barriers were superior to conventional single tunnel barrier in uniformity and density. Our results imply that we were able to improve MR ratio and tune resistance by employing doubly oxidized tunnel barrier process.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.103-108
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• 2002

We investigated magnetoresistance(MR) and exchange bias properties by annealing in top and bosom type spin valves (SV) with nano-oxide layers (NOL). In top SVs with NOL, MR ratio of 9.2% is obtained after postdeposition annealing at 250$\^{C}$. In bottom SVs with NOL, MR ratio of 10.1 % is obtained after postdeposition annealing at 250$\^{C}$. Therefore, specular reflection of the NOL in bottom SVs is higher than that of the NOL in top SVs. Exchange biasing of bottom SVs with NOL is 28% higher than that of bottom SVs without NOL after annealing. This enhancement of exchange biasing is thought to be due to the reduced magnetic moment of the pinned layer with NOL and enhanced (111) FeMn texture.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.121-125
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• 2009

Amorphous $Ge_1$_$_xMn_x$ semiconductor thin films grown by low temperature vapor deposition were annealed at various temperatures from 400 to $700^{\circ}C$ for 3 minutes in high vaccum chamber. The electrical and magnetotransport properties of as-grown and annealed samples have been studied. X-ray diffraction patterns analysis revealed that the samples still maintain amorphous state after annealling at $500^{\circ}C$ for 3 minutes and they were crystallized when annealing temperature increase to $600^{\circ}C$. Temperature dependence of resistivity measurement implied that as-grown and annealed $Ge_1$_$_xMn_x$ films have semiconductor characteristics, the increase of resistivity with annealling temperature was obseved. The $700^{\circ}C$-annealed sample exhibited negative magnetoresistance (MR) at low temperatures and the MR ratio was ${\sim}$8.5% at 10 K. The asymmetry was present in all MR curves. The anomalous Hall Effect was also observed at 250 K.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.362-368
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• 1998

The magnetic properties, thermal stability and anti-corrosion properties of $Cr_86Al_14$ spin valves multilayers were studied. It was found that the magnetic properties of $Cr_86Al_14$ spin valves depend on the thickness of antiferromagnetic, ferromagnetic and non-ferromagnetic layers. Exchange coupled field ($H_{ex}$) and magnetoresistance ratio (%) showed the largest value of 20 Oe, 2 % in $glass/Cr_{86}Al_{14}(600 $\AA$)/Ni_{81}Fe_{19}(50$\AA$)/Cu(40 $\AA$)/Ni_{81}Fe_{19}(40 $\AA$)$ spin valves. The $H_{ex}$ MR ratios (%) of CrAl and FeMn spin valves were decreased with increasing annealing temperatures and were lost at 150 $^{\circ}C$, 250 $^{\circ}C$ respectively. Based on these result, it was elucidated that CrAl is more thermally stable than FeMn. It was also shown that there was no change of $H_{ex}$ MR ratios in CrAl, while FeMn was changed and lost 15 days later in corrosion resistance test under 35 $^{\circ}C$, 90 % humidity condition. FeMn was found to be pitted and peeled off 15 days later by SEM micrographic analysis.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.258-262
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• 1996

We have investigated the changes in magnetoresistive characteristics, interfacial roughness, and preferred orientation with the Fe buffer layer thickness, annealing temperature, and the stacking number of layers variation in Fe/[NiFe/Cu] multilayers by using the 3-gun d.c. magnetron sputtering method. Intensity of the (200) orientation was increased with the increment of the Fe-buffer layer thickness. We found a maximum magnetoresistance ration of 4.7%, when the buffer layer thickness was 70$\AA$, and the field sensitivity also showed a maximum value at the same thickness. We varied the stacking number of multilayers with fixing the Fe buffer layer thickness of 70$\AA$. When the stacking number was 40 layers, maximum MR ratio(5.3%) was observed. With the variation of annealing temperature no change in the MR ratio was found beyond $300^{\circ}C$. But decrement of MR ratio was observed above $300^{\circ}C$. This decrement of the MR ratio was responsible for the increment of paramagnetic mixed layer caused by the diffusion of Cu layer and the change of antiferromagnetic coupling.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.13-17
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• 2004

We have investigated the effect of Hf insertion in the Al oxide tunnel barrier on the properties of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs). MTJs with Hf inserted barrier show the higher tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio and less temperature and bias voltage dependence of TMR than MTJs with a conventional Al$_2$O$_3$ barrier. The enhancement of TMR ratio and the reduction of the temperature and bias voltage dependence might be due to the reduction of defects in the barrier. Al-Hf oxide was formed by depositing Al and Hf simultaneously, and oxidizing the compound films. The TMR ratio of 36% was almost the same value as that with Hf inserted barrier. This implies that the inserted Hf layers mixed with Al layers during deposition or oxidation, and they might form Al Hf oxide barriers. This compound Al Hf oxide formation may be responsible to reduction of defect concentration which enhanced the TMR ratio and reduced temperature and bias-voltage dependence.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.79-85
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• 1998

The $[Ni_{80}Fe_{20}/Cu/Co/Cu]$ multilayers were grown by evaporation technique, and according to magnetic exchange coupling relation, magnetoresistance ratio and magnetization curve were studied by Co inserting $Ni_{80}Fe_{20}/Cu$ interface. Insertion of Co layer to the antiferromagnetically coupled system, i. e $t_{Cu} = 25\;{\AA}$, decrese the MR ratio contrary to previous reports. However the insertion to the ferromagneticalyl coupled $(t_{Cu} = 27\;{\AA})$ and the noncoupled $(t_{Cu} = 47\;{\AA})$ systems increase the ratio to 3.5 % and 6 % respectively. The results imply that the insertion change the magnetic exchange coupling state as well as the spin dependent scattering of conduction electrons. Besides, insertion of Co layer between Cu and $Ni_{80}Fe_{20}$ layer enhaces thermal stability to the 300 $^{\circ}C$, which indicates that insertion of Co has a role of the effective diffusion barrier.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.291-295
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• 1999

$NiFe/Co/Al_2O_3/Co/IrMn$ tunneling junctions were grown on (100)Si wafer and their spin-valve tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) was studied. The tunneling junctions were grown by using a 5-gun RF/DC magnetron sputter. $Al_2O_3$ barrier layer was formed by exposing Al layer to oxygen atmosphere at 6$0^{\circ}C$ for 72 hours. Strong exchange coupling interaction is observed between the ferromagnetic Co and the antiferromagnetic IrMn of Co/IrMn bilayer when IrMn is 100$\AA$ thick. $NiFe(183\;{\AA})/Co(17\;{\AA})/Al_2O_3(16\;{\AA})/Co(100\;{\AA})/IrMn(100\;{\AA})$ tunneling junction shows best TMR ratio of about 10% in the applied magnetic field range of $\pm$20 Oe. The TMR ratio is improved about 23% and electrical resistance is decreased about 34% when annealed at 200 $^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour in magnetic field of 330 Oe, parallel to the bottom electrode. With increasing the active area of junction the TMR ratio increases while electrical resistance decreases.

• 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.18 no.3
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• pp.276-283
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• 2005

Magnetic tunneling transistor (MTT) device using the amorphous n-type Si semiconductor film for base and collector consisting of the [CoFe/NiFe](free layer) and Si(top layer) multilayers was used to study the spin-dependent hot electron magnetocurrent (MC) and tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) at room temperature. A large MC of 40.2 % was observed at the emitter-base bias voltage ( $V_{EB}$ ) of 0.62 V. The increasing emitter hot current and transfer ratio ( $I_{C}$/ $I_{E}$) as $V_{EB}$ are mainly due to a rapid increase of the number of conduction band states in the Si collector. However, above the $V_{EB}$ of 0.62 V, the rapid decrease of MC was observed in amorphous Si-based MTT because of hot electron spin-dependent elastic scattering across CoFe/Si interfaces.