Magnetic tunnel junctions with perpendicular anisotropy using a Co 2FeAl full-Heusler alloy

Zhenchao Wen; Hiroaki Sukegawa; Shinya Kasai; Masamitsu Hayashi; Seiji Mitani; Koichiro Inomata

doi:10.1143/APEX.5.063003

Magnetic tunnel junctions with perpendicular anisotropy using a Co ₂FeAl full-Heusler alloy

Zhenchao Wen, Hiroaki Sukegawa, Shinya Kasai, Masamitsu Hayashi, Seiji Mitani, Koichiro Inomata

Center for Spintronics Research Network (CSRN)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

48 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We fabricated perpendicularly magnetized magnetic tunnel junctions (p-MTJs) with an ultrathin Co ₂FeAl (CFA) full-Heusler alloy electrode having large interface magnetic anisotropy of CFA/MgO. An out-of-plane tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio of 53% at room temperature was observed in CFA/MgO/Co ₂₀Fe ₆₀B ₂₀ p-MTJs. By inserting a 0.1-nm-thick Fe (Co ₅₀Fe ₅₀) layer between the MgO and Co ₂₀Fe ₆₀B ₂₀ layers, The TMR ratio was significantly enhanced to 91% (82%) due to the improved interface. The bias voltage dependence of differential conductance did not clearly show coherent tunneling characteristics for ultrathin CFA-MTJs, suggesting that a higher TMR ratio may be achieved by improving the B2 ordering of CFA and/or interface structure.

Original language	English
Article number	063003
Journal	Applied Physics Express
Volume	5
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1143/APEX.5.063003
Publication status	Published - 2012 Jun

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Engineering(all)
Physics and Astronomy(all)

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abstract = "We fabricated perpendicularly magnetized magnetic tunnel junctions (p-MTJs) with an ultrathin Co 2FeAl (CFA) full-Heusler alloy electrode having large interface magnetic anisotropy of CFA/MgO. An out-of-plane tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio of 53% at room temperature was observed in CFA/MgO/Co 20Fe 60B 20 p-MTJs. By inserting a 0.1-nm-thick Fe (Co 50Fe 50) layer between the MgO and Co 20Fe 60B 20 layers, The TMR ratio was significantly enhanced to 91% (82%) due to the improved interface. The bias voltage dependence of differential conductance did not clearly show coherent tunneling characteristics for ultrathin CFA-MTJs, suggesting that a higher TMR ratio may be achieved by improving the B2 ordering of CFA and/or interface structure.",

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AU - Wen, Zhenchao

AU - Sukegawa, Hiroaki

AU - Kasai, Shinya

AU - Hayashi, Masamitsu

AU - Mitani, Seiji

AU - Inomata, Koichiro

PY - 2012/6

Y1 - 2012/6

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