Effects of annealing on local composition and electrical transport correlations in MgO-based magnetic tunnel junctions

A. N. Chiaramonti; D. K. Schreiber; W. F. Egelhoff; David N. Seidman; A. K. Petford-Long

doi:10.1063/1.2970964

Effects of annealing on local composition and electrical transport correlations in MgO-based magnetic tunnel junctions

A. N. Chiaramonti, D. K. Schreiber, W. F. Egelhoff, David N. Seidman, A. K. Petford-Long

Materials Science and Engineering

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

26 Scopus citations

Abstract

The effects of annealing on the electrical transport behavior of CoFe/MgO/CoFe magnetic tunnel junctions have been studied using a combination of site-specific in situ transmission electron microscopy and three-dimensional atom-probe tomography. Annealing leads to an increase in the resistance of the junctions. A shift in the conductance curve (dI/dV) minimum from 0 V for the as-grown specimen correlates with a sharply defined layer of CoFe oxide at the lower ferromagnetic interface. Annealing decreases the asymmetry in the conductance by making the interfaces more diffuse and the tunnel barrier more chemically homogeneous.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	103113
Journal	Applied Physics Letters
Volume	93
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2970964
State	Published - 2008

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)

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title = "Effects of annealing on local composition and electrical transport correlations in MgO-based magnetic tunnel junctions",

abstract = "The effects of annealing on the electrical transport behavior of CoFe/MgO/CoFe magnetic tunnel junctions have been studied using a combination of site-specific in situ transmission electron microscopy and three-dimensional atom-probe tomography. Annealing leads to an increase in the resistance of the junctions. A shift in the conductance curve (dI/dV) minimum from 0 V for the as-grown specimen correlates with a sharply defined layer of CoFe oxide at the lower ferromagnetic interface. Annealing decreases the asymmetry in the conductance by making the interfaces more diffuse and the tunnel barrier more chemically homogeneous.",

author = "Chiaramonti, {A. N.} and Schreiber, {D. K.} and Egelhoff, {W. F.} and Seidman, {David N.} and Petford-Long, {A. K.}",

note = "Funding Information: Argonne National Laboratory is operated under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357 by U.S. DOE. The electron microscopy was accomplished in the Argonne National Laboratory Electron Microscopy Center for Materials Research. The APT analyses were performed at the Northwestern University Center for Atom-Probe Tomography (NUCAPT). The local-electrode atom-probe tomograph was purchased with funding from the National Science Foundation and the Office of Naval Research.",

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journal = "Applied Physics Letters",

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AU - Chiaramonti, A. N.

AU - Schreiber, D. K.

AU - Egelhoff, W. F.

AU - Seidman, David N.

AU - Petford-Long, A. K.

N1 - Funding Information: Argonne National Laboratory is operated under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357 by U.S. DOE. The electron microscopy was accomplished in the Argonne National Laboratory Electron Microscopy Center for Materials Research. The APT analyses were performed at the Northwestern University Center for Atom-Probe Tomography (NUCAPT). The local-electrode atom-probe tomograph was purchased with funding from the National Science Foundation and the Office of Naval Research.

PY - 2008

Y1 - 2008

N2 - The effects of annealing on the electrical transport behavior of CoFe/MgO/CoFe magnetic tunnel junctions have been studied using a combination of site-specific in situ transmission electron microscopy and three-dimensional atom-probe tomography. Annealing leads to an increase in the resistance of the junctions. A shift in the conductance curve (dI/dV) minimum from 0 V for the as-grown specimen correlates with a sharply defined layer of CoFe oxide at the lower ferromagnetic interface. Annealing decreases the asymmetry in the conductance by making the interfaces more diffuse and the tunnel barrier more chemically homogeneous.

AB - The effects of annealing on the electrical transport behavior of CoFe/MgO/CoFe magnetic tunnel junctions have been studied using a combination of site-specific in situ transmission electron microscopy and three-dimensional atom-probe tomography. Annealing leads to an increase in the resistance of the junctions. A shift in the conductance curve (dI/dV) minimum from 0 V for the as-grown specimen correlates with a sharply defined layer of CoFe oxide at the lower ferromagnetic interface. Annealing decreases the asymmetry in the conductance by making the interfaces more diffuse and the tunnel barrier more chemically homogeneous.

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Effects of annealing on local composition and electrical transport correlations in MgO-based magnetic tunnel junctions

Abstract

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