• 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.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.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.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.

• Proceedings of the Korean Magnestics Society Conference
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• 2002.12a
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• pp.50-51
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• 2002

최근 실온에서 약 40％ 이상의 높은 자기저항(magnetoresistance, MR)을 나타내는 자기 터널 접합(magnetic tunnel junction, MTJ)이 보고되면서 비휘발성 자기메모리로의 응용을 눈앞에 두고 있다.[1]. 이에 본 실험에서는 Substrate / Ta (base electrode) / NiFe / PtMn (AF pinning layer) / CoFe (pinned) / Ru / CoFe (fixed) / Al-O/ CoFe (free) / NiFe (free) / Ta & Ru (Capping Layer)과 같은 MTJ 증착 구조를 사용하여, MTJ의 보다 향상된 특성을 확보하기 위한 노력으로서 Al-O 두께, 어닐링 조건(Field Intensity ＆ Sequence)변화 등을 시도하였다. (중략)

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.89-93
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• 2010

We study the giant magneto-resistance (GMR), coercivity and their dependence on the ferromagnetic layers adjacent to the nonmagnetic layer in a spin-valve structure, [Pd/ferromagnetic] multilayers with perpendicular anisotropy. We fabricated a basic spinvalve structure of $[Pd/Co]_2$/ferro-magnetic layer/nonmagnet/ferro-magnetic layer/$[Pd/Co]_2$/FeMn and investigated the dependence of its GMR and magnetic properties such ad coercivity on the ferromagnetic material to reduce the coercivity of the free layer. We try to reduce the freelayer coercivity by controlled the anisotropy, we insert the material NiFe, $Co_8Fe_2$, $Co_9Fe_1$ to ferromagnetic layers adjacent to the Cu layer. Then, we have been able to reduce the coercivity as low as 100 Oe, and also achieved 6.7% of magneto-resistance ratio when the ferromagnetic layer thickness was 0,7 nm.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.124-127
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• 2007

Magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs), which consisted of amorphous CoFeSiB layers, were investigated. The CoFeSiB layers were used to substitute for the traditionally used CoFe and/or NiFe layers with an emphasis given on understanding the effect of the amorphous free layer on the switching characteristics of the MTJs. CoFeSiB has a lower saturation magnetization ($M_s\;:\;560\;emu/cm^3$) and a higher anisotropy constant ($K_u\;:\;2800\;erg/cm^3$) than CoFe and NiFe, respectively. An exchange coupling energy ($J_{ex}$) of $-0.003\;erg/cm^2$ was observed by inserting a 1.0 nm Ru layer in between CoFeSiB layers. In the Si/$SiO_2$/Ta 45/Ru 9.5/IrMn 10/CoFe 7/$AlO_x$/CoFeSiB 7 or CoFeSiB (t)/Ru 1.0/CoFeSiB (7-t)/Ru 60 (in nm) MTJs structure, it was found that the size dependence of the switching field originated in the lower $J_{ex}$ using the experimental and simulation results. The CoFeSiB synthetic antiferromagnet structures were proved to be beneficial for the switching characteristics such as reducing the coercivity ($H_c$) and increasing the sensitivity in micrometer size, even in submicrometer sized elements.

• 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.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.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.