In situ TEM studies of local transport and structure in nanoscale multilayer films

A. N. Chiaramonti*, L. J. Thompson, W. F. Egelhoff, B. C. Kabius, A. K. Petford-Long

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper describes a novel technique for studying structure-transport correlations in nanoscale multilayer thin films. Here, local current-voltage characteristics from simplified magnetic tunnel junctions are measured in situ on cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) samples and correlated directly with TEM images of the microstructure at the tunneling site. It is found that local variations in barrier properties can be detected by a point probe method, and that the tunneling barrier height and width can be extracted.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1529-1535
Number of pages7
JournalUltramicroscopy
Volume108
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2008

Funding

The electron microscopy and FIB sample preparation were accomplished at the Electron Microscopy Center for Materials Research at Argonne National Laboratory. The authors would like to thank J.M. Hiller for assisting with the FIB sample development and preparation. This manuscript has been created by UChicago Argonne, LLC, Operator of Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne). Argonne, a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science Laboratory, is operated under Contract no. DE-AC02-06CH11357.

Keywords

  • In situ
  • Microscopic methods for solid interfaces and multilayers
  • Transmission electron microscopy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Instrumentation
  • Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'In situ TEM studies of local transport and structure in nanoscale multilayer films'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this