The tunnelling magnetoresistance of CoFeB/MgO tunnel junctions is exceptionally high, although the electrodes and the barrier are grown at room temperature in the amorphous state. For their functionality annealing steps up to high temperatures are required. We have analyzed in detail the changes in the chemical and magnetization profile upon annealing up to 360°. The multilayers used for this study are similar to those which are used in magnetic tunnel junctions, however with five repeats. In particular, we have used hard non-resonant and soft resonant magnetic x-ray scattering in order to unravel any changes upon annealing. The multilayers exhibit superior structural quality, which hardly changes with annealing. Surprisingly, only little recrystallization of the CoFeB and the MgO layers can be discerned by x-ray diffraction.
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15 September 2010
Research Article|
September 24 2010
The effect of annealing on the junction profile of CoFeB/MgO tunnel junctions
Hui He;
Hui He
1Institut für Experimentalphysik/Festkörperphysik,
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
, 44780 Bochum, Germany
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Kirill Zhernenkov;
Kirill Zhernenkov
1Institut für Experimentalphysik/Festkörperphysik,
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
, 44780 Bochum, Germany
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Miriana Vadalá;
Miriana Vadalá
1Institut für Experimentalphysik/Festkörperphysik,
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
, 44780 Bochum, Germany
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Numan Akdogan;
Numan Akdogan
2Department of Physics,
Gebze Institute of Technology
, 41400 Kocaeli, Turkey
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Dmitry Gorkov;
Dmitry Gorkov
1Institut für Experimentalphysik/Festkörperphysik,
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
, 44780 Bochum, Germany
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Radu M. Abrudan;
Radu M. Abrudan
1Institut für Experimentalphysik/Festkörperphysik,
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
, 44780 Bochum, Germany
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Boris P. Toperverg;
Boris P. Toperverg
1Institut für Experimentalphysik/Festkörperphysik,
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
, 44780 Bochum, Germany
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Hartmut Zabel;
Hartmut Zabel
a)
1Institut für Experimentalphysik/Festkörperphysik,
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
, 44780 Bochum, Germany
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Hitoshi Kubota;
Hitoshi Kubota
3
Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568, Japan
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Shinji Yuasa
Shinji Yuasa
3
Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568, Japan
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Hui He
1
Kirill Zhernenkov
1
Miriana Vadalá
1
Numan Akdogan
2
Dmitry Gorkov
1
Radu M. Abrudan
1
Boris P. Toperverg
1
Hartmut Zabel
1,a)
Hitoshi Kubota
3
Shinji Yuasa
3
1Institut für Experimentalphysik/Festkörperphysik,
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
, 44780 Bochum, Germany
2Department of Physics,
Gebze Institute of Technology
, 41400 Kocaeli, Turkey
3
Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568, Japan
a)
Electronic mail: [email protected].
J. Appl. Phys. 108, 063922 (2010)
Article history
Received:
June 17 2010
Accepted:
July 28 2010
Citation
Hui He, Kirill Zhernenkov, Miriana Vadalá, Numan Akdogan, Dmitry Gorkov, Radu M. Abrudan, Boris P. Toperverg, Hartmut Zabel, Hitoshi Kubota, Shinji Yuasa; The effect of annealing on the junction profile of CoFeB/MgO tunnel junctions. J. Appl. Phys. 15 September 2010; 108 (6): 063922. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3483956
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