Epitaxial Fe/magnesium gallium spinel oxide (MgGa2O4)/Fe(001) magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) were fabricated by magnetron sputtering. A tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio up to 121% at room temperature (196% at 4 K) was observed, suggesting a TMR enhancement by the coherent tunneling effect in the MgGa2O4 barrier. The MgGa2O4 layer had a spinel structure and it showed good lattice matching with the Fe layers owing to slight tetragonal lattice distortion of MgGa2O4. Barrier thickness dependence of the tunneling resistance and current-voltage characteristics revealed that the height of the MgGa2O4 barrier is much lower than that of an MgAl2O4 barrier. This study demonstrates the potential of Ga-based spinel oxides for MTJ barriers having a large TMR ratio at a low resistance area product.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
20 March 2017
Research Article|
March 21 2017
MgGa2O4 spinel barrier for magnetic tunnel junctions: Coherent tunneling and low barrier height
Hiroaki Sukegawa;
Hiroaki Sukegawa
a)
1Research Center for Magnetic and Spintronic Materials,
National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)
, 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba 305-0047, Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
Yushi Kato;
Yushi Kato
2
Corporate Research & Development Center
, Toshiba Corporation 1, Komukai-Toshiba-Cho, Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki 212-8582, Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
Mohamed Belmoubarik
;
Mohamed Belmoubarik
1Research Center for Magnetic and Spintronic Materials,
National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)
, 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba 305-0047, Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
P.-H. Cheng;
P.-H. Cheng
1Research Center for Magnetic and Spintronic Materials,
National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)
, 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba 305-0047, Japan
3Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences,
University of Tsukuba
, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
Tadaomi Daibou;
Tadaomi Daibou
2
Corporate Research & Development Center
, Toshiba Corporation 1, Komukai-Toshiba-Cho, Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki 212-8582, Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
Naoharu Shimomura;
Naoharu Shimomura
2
Corporate Research & Development Center
, Toshiba Corporation 1, Komukai-Toshiba-Cho, Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki 212-8582, Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
Yuuzo Kamiguchi;
Yuuzo Kamiguchi
2
Corporate Research & Development Center
, Toshiba Corporation 1, Komukai-Toshiba-Cho, Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki 212-8582, Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
Junichi Ito;
Junichi Ito
2
Corporate Research & Development Center
, Toshiba Corporation 1, Komukai-Toshiba-Cho, Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki 212-8582, Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
Hiroaki Yoda;
Hiroaki Yoda
2
Corporate Research & Development Center
, Toshiba Corporation 1, Komukai-Toshiba-Cho, Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki 212-8582, Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
Tadakatsu Ohkubo;
Tadakatsu Ohkubo
1Research Center for Magnetic and Spintronic Materials,
National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)
, 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba 305-0047, Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
Seiji Mitani;
Seiji Mitani
1Research Center for Magnetic and Spintronic Materials,
National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)
, 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba 305-0047, Japan
3Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences,
University of Tsukuba
, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
Kazuhiro Hono
Kazuhiro Hono
1Research Center for Magnetic and Spintronic Materials,
National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)
, 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba 305-0047, Japan
3Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences,
University of Tsukuba
, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
a)
Electronic mail: sukegawa.hiroaki@nims.go.jp
Appl. Phys. Lett. 110, 122404 (2017)
Article history
Received:
November 05 2016
Accepted:
February 21 2017
Citation
Hiroaki Sukegawa, Yushi Kato, Mohamed Belmoubarik, P.-H. Cheng, Tadaomi Daibou, Naoharu Shimomura, Yuuzo Kamiguchi, Junichi Ito, Hiroaki Yoda, Tadakatsu Ohkubo, Seiji Mitani, Kazuhiro Hono; MgGa2O4 spinel barrier for magnetic tunnel junctions: Coherent tunneling and low barrier height. Appl. Phys. Lett. 20 March 2017; 110 (12): 122404. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4977946
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign In
You could not be signed in. Please check your credentials and make sure you have an active account and try again.
Pay-Per-View Access
$40.00
Citing articles via
Topological and chiral matter—Physics and applications
Maia G. Vergniory, Takeshi Kondo, et al.
Roadmap on photonic metasurfaces
Sebastian A. Schulz, Rupert. F. Oulton, et al.
Feedback cooling of an insulating high-Q diamagnetically levitated plate
S. Tian, K. Jadeja, et al.
Related Content
MgGa2O4 as alternative barrier for perpendicular MRAM junctions and VCMA
Appl. Phys. Lett. (April 2021)
Spinel oxides: Δ 1 spin-filter barrier for a class of magnetic tunnel junctions
Appl. Phys. Lett. (May 2012)
Structural and magnetic properties of CoFe2O4 thin films grown on isostructural lattice-matched substrates
Appl. Phys. Lett. (September 2022)
Structural and magnetic properties of NiFe2O4 thin films grown on isostructural lattice-matched substrates
Appl. Phys. Lett. (April 2021)