Interface sharpening in CoFeB magnetic tunnel junctions

Pym, A.T.G.; Lamperti, A.; Tanner, B.K.; Dimopoulos, T.; Ruhrig, M.; Wecker, J.

Abstract

We report grazing incidence x-ray scattering evidence for sharpening of the interface between amorphous Co60Fe20B20 and AlOx during in situ annealing below the Co60Fe20B20 crystallization temperature. Enhancement of the interference fringe amplitude in the specular scatter and the absence of changes in the diffuse scatter indicate that the sharpening is not a reduction in topological roughness but a reduction in the width of the chemical composition profile across the interface. The temperature at which the sharpening occurs corresponds to that at which a maximum is found in the tunneling magnetoresistance of magnetic tunnel junctions.

Citation

Pym, A., Lamperti, A., Tanner, B., Dimopoulos, T., Ruhrig, M., & Wecker, J. (2006). Interface sharpening in CoFeB magnetic tunnel junctions. Applied Physics Letters, 88(16), https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2195774

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Apr 17, 2006
• Deposit Date: Dec 4, 2006
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 26, 2011
• Journal: Applied Physics Letters
• Print ISSN: 0003-6951
• Electronic ISSN: 1077-3118
• Publisher: American Institute of Physics
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 88
• Issue: 16
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2195774
• Keywords: Room temperature, Layers.
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1583726