Search

We improve thermal tolerance of a Co/Pt based synthetic ferrimagnetic (SyF) reference layer in a CoFeB/MgO-based perpendicular anisotropy magnetic tunnel junction by employing a surface modification treatment (SMT) using Ar plasma on a Pt buffer layer underneath the SyF layer. A higher perpendicular anisotropy and more robustness against annealing for the SyF reference layer is observed by the employment of SMT. From the cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscope of the magnetic tunnel junction and atomic force microscopy on the Pt buffer layer, SMT has no significant effect on the surface roughness of the Pt buffer layer. On the other hand, X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that SMT increases the lattice spacing of the Pt buffer layer and shrinks that of the Co/Pt multilayer, which are maintained after annealing at 400 °C. Those structural changes could lead to the improvement of perpendicular anisotropy and thermal tolerance against annealing. A high-resolution Rutherford backscattering analysis reveals that Ar ions used for SMT penetrate to the Pt buffer layer, resulting in variation of the lattice spacing for the Pt buffer layer and Co/Pt multilayer. In addition, suppression of Fe diffusion from the CoFeB reference layer to the bottom Co/Pt multilayer is observed by using energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, which also contributes to the higher thermal tolerance against annealing. The present observation reveals that the employment of SMT enables one to obtain both high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and high robustness against annealing through crystallographic change of the Co/Pt multilayer and suppression of Fe diffusion from CoFeB layer into the Co/Pt multilayer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the effects of sputtering conditions for the deposition of an Iridium (Ir) layer in a [Co/Pt]m/Co/Ir/[Co/Pt]n/Co/W/CoFeB synthetic antiferromagnetic reference layer (Ir-SyF) on the magnetic properties and tunnel magnetoresistance ratio (TMR ratio) of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) stacks annealed at 400 °C for 1 h. The exchange coupling field ($H_{\mathrm {ex}}$) of Ir-SyF was improved by reducing the energy of Ir recoil ions and two times larger than that with Ru-SyF. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrometry line analysis revealed greater interlayer diffusion in Ir when Ir was sputtered by using a conditions with large recoiled energy. This could cause the deterioration of the $H_{\mathrm {ex}}$ of the Ir-SyF. Despite the larger $H_{\mathrm {ex}}$ , the TMR ratio of the MTJ with Ir-SyF is smaller than that with Ru-SyF. The $m$ – $H$ curve of MTJ with Ru-SyF showed a large plateau region around zero magnetic field, whereas that with Ir-SyF did not. These results indicated the degradation of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) in the top part of the Co/Pt multilayer with CoFeB reference layer and a large biquadratic coupling effect in the thin Ir layer. This causes the deterioration of the TMR ratio of the MTJ with Ir-SyF. TEM image of the Co/Pt layer in the MTJ with Ir shows some lattice defects. The EDX line analysis revealed that a large amount of Pt in the top Co/Pt layer diffused toward CoFeB reference layer in the Ir-SyF, resulting in the degradation of PMA. The structural analysis by X-ray diffraction showed the lattice spacing of CoPt (111) in Ir-SyF to be larger than that in Ru-SyF, indicating the occurrence of strain relaxation at the Co/Pt interface. These crystallographic changes in Ir-SyF might be related to a larger Pt diffusion. Suppression of Pt diffusion as well as low damage Ir deposition in the reference layer is crucial to utilize Ir-SyF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the effect of magnetic coupling (the energy constant of unit area $J_{\text {cpl}}$) between CoFeB free layers on thermal stability factor $\Delta $ in magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) with CoFeB/MgO double interfacial perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (IPMA). We newly introduced $J_{\text {cpl}}$ in models for calculations, which were based on magnetic domain propagation model when MTJ diameter $d$ is larger than critical diameter $d_{\text {c}}$ and magnetization coherent rotation model when $d \le d_{\text {c}}$. With increasing $J_{\text {cpl}}$ , $\Delta $ increases and saturates when $J_{\text {cpl}}$ is over a critical value $J_{\mathrm {cpl\_{}c}}$. Magnetostatic coupling constants ($J_{\text {stat}}$) between the free layers were also calculated. $J_{\text {stat}}$ is much smaller than $J_{\mathrm {cpl\_{}c}}$ and cannot maximize $\Delta $ by itself, so an interlayer exchange coupling (the critical energy constant of unit area $J_{\mathrm {ex\_{}c}}$) is required to cover the difference between $J_{\mathrm {cpl\_{}c}}$ and $J_{\text {stat}}$. $J_{\mathrm {ex\_{}c}}$ also rapidly increases with the decrease in $d$ and reaches a plateau of 0.15 mJ/m2 in $d \le 30$ nm. MTJ devices with the smallest $J_{\text {ex}}\,\,(=0.01 \text {mJ/m}^{2}$) and a moderate PMA (constant per unit area $K_{\text {eff}} t^{\ast }$) were made and $\Delta s$ were evaluated by experiments. The experimental $\Delta s$ were fitted by the calculations with adjusting stiffness constants $A_{s}$. The calculated $\Delta s$ and the experimental $\Delta s$ were in good agreement when $A_{s}$ had a smaller value than that of the blanket film. Since the experimentally used $J_{\text {ex}}$ value was almost 0, $\Delta $ values were estimated when $J_{\text {ex}}$ was a greater value of 0.15 mJ/m2. As a result, 30% enhancement of $\Delta $ was obtained at the smallest $d = 20$ nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We successfully developed 25-nm quad CoFeB/MgO-interfaces perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction (quad-MTJ) with enough thermal stability. To fabricate the quad-MTJ, a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process for depositing novel free layer and low resistance-area (RA) product MgO layer and low-damage fabrication processes were developed. The developed quad-MTJ technology and advanced process bring better tunnel magneto resistance (TMR) ratio and RA to quad-MTJ than those of double-interface MTJ (double-MTJ), even though quad-MTJ has an additional MgO layer. Scaling down the MTJ size to 25 nm, we demonstrated the advantages of quad-MTJ compared with double-MTJ as follows: 1) two times larger thermal stability factor (Δ), which results in over ten years retention; 2) superiority of large Δ in the measuring temperature range up to 200 °C; 3) ~1.5 times higher write efficiency; 4) lower write current at short write pulse regions at less than 100 ns; and e) excellent endurance of over 1011 thanks to higher write efficiency, which results from the reduced voltage owing to low RA and the low damage integration process technology. As a result, the developed quad-MTJ technologies will open the way for the realization of high-density STT-MRAM with low power, high speed, high reliability, and excellent scalability down to 2 × nm node. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic coupling between two CoFeB layers through the W insertion layer is important in the conventional double CoFeB/MgO interface, magnetic tunneling junctions (MTJs) (double-MTJs) with MgO/CoFeB/W/CoFeB/MgO free layer stack because it increases the effective magnetic volume of the free layer. The magnetic coupling energy constant per unit area, Jcpl, between two CoFeB layers through the W layer and the effective perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) energy constant per unit area, Kefft*, were investigated for conventional double-MTJs with various W insertion layer thicknesses. As the W layer thickness increased, Kefft* increased and Jcpl decreased. There exists a trade-off relationship between Jcpl and Kefft*. In conventional double-MTJs with a single W insertion layer, large values for Jcpl and Kefft* were difficult to obtain simultaneously. To improve this tradeoff, we employed a free layer stack with a thin ferromagnetic layer (ferromagnetic bridge layer: FBL) located in the W insertion layer. In the double-MTJs with FBL annealed at 400 °C, a large Jcpl value of 0.37 mJ/m2 was achieved while maintaining the maximum values of Kefft*. Accordingly, the MTJ with FBL provides an MTJ stack structure for obtaining high thermal stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the effects of surface modification treatment (SMT) on the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) and the thermal tolerance of top-pinned magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with a Co/Pt synthetic ferrimagnetic coupling reference layer. Applying an SMT to the bottom Pt layer increased the PMA of the overlying Co/Pt multilayer. X-ray diffraction spectrum analysis revealed that the SMT resulted in a higher crystallinity and smaller lattice spacing in the Co/Pt multilayer in the thinner bottom Pt layer, which may have increased the PMA in the Co/Pt multilayer. The tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio of the MTJ with SMT increased as the annealing temperature was increased up to 400 °C; conversely, the TMR ratio of the MTJ without SMT decreased at an annealing temperature of 400 °C. Evaluation of the m-H loops revealed that, after annealing at 400 °C, the reference layers in the MTJs after SMT possessed better magnetic properties than those in the MTJs without an SMT; this is attributable to the higher PMA of the reference layers with SMT. EDX line analysis revealed that SMT suppressed Pt diffusion to the MgO barrier, resulting in a higher thermal tolerance and larger PMA of the reference layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the influence of hard mask (HM) materials on tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) properties and magnetic properties for the magnetic tunnel junctions with pependicular easy axis (p-MTJs) with double CoFeB/MgO interface annealed at 400 °C for 0.5–10 h. After annealing at 400 °C for 5 h, the TMR ratio of the MTJ with TiN HM was significantly decreased, whereas the TMR ratio of the MTJ with Ta-HM was maintained at a value of more than 120%. The analysis results by secondary-ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) revealed that Ru in Ru-cap for the MTJ with TiN-HM diffused into the free layer through the MgO-cap layer, resulting in the degradation of the magnetic and TMR properties of the MTJ with TiN-HM. In contrast, Ru did not diffuse into the free layer for the MTJ with Ta-HM, which results from suppression of Ru diffusion into the free layer due to the formation of Ta–Ru alloy. Furthermore, in both the MTJs with TiN-HM and Ta-HM annealed at 400 °C for 10 h, EDX analysis revealed Pt diffusion into the CoFeB reference layer, which could degrade the magnetic properties of the reference layer, resulting in the degradation of TMR properties. To obtain a double CoFeB/MgO interface p-MTJ with higher thermal tolerance, it is necessary to design an HM material that suppresses the diffusion of the cap material into the free layer in addition to suppressing the Pt diffusion of the reference layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic properties of Co film in Pt/Co/α-Cr2O3/Pt/α-Al2O3 structure were investigated. Co layer thickness tCo dependence of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy density K reveals that the bulk magnetic anisotropy plays an important role in the system in addition to the interfacial anisotropy. Damping constant α monotonically increases with the decrease of tCo but not proportionally to 1/tCo. Both K and α increase with the increase of Pt layer thickness tPt from 3 nm to 5 nm and keeps almost constant in the tPt range between 5 nm to 20 nm. These results are of importance to understand the magnetization switching behavior driven by the magneto-electric (ME) effect as well as to design the spintronics device using the ME effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the effect of the capping layer on the thermal tolerance of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with free layer of MgO/CoFeB/spacer layer/CoFeB/MgO/capping layers (CoFeB, Ru, or Ta). We observe the largest perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy density for the free layer with CoFeB capping layer using Ta spacer after annealing at 400°C for 1 h. Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) line analysis along film normal direction reveals the absorption of oxygen in MgO by Ta in the stack with Ta capping layer and Ru diffusion into CoFeB free layer in the stack with Ru capping layer, which could cause the reduction of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. We also evaluate annealing temperature dependence of magnetic properties for the MTJ stacks with different spacer layer. We again observe the largest perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy density for the MTJ stack using the CoFeB capping layer. The present study reveals that CoFeB capping layer is effective for achieving improved robustness against annealing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated annealing temperature Ta dependence of tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio and magnetic properties for perpendicular-anisotropy (CoFe)100–XBX/MgO magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with single (CoFe)100–XBX/MgO interface (s-MTJ) and double CoFeB–MgO interface (d-MTJ) structures with various boron compositions X. High TMR ratio over 100% was observed in the s-MTJ with $X= 35$ at.% after annealing at 360 °C–400 °C, whereas the s-MTJ with X = 30$ at.% showed the degradation of TMR ratio with the increase of X = 25$ at.% maintained high TMR ratio up to owing to its higher perpendicular anisotropy compared with the s-MTJ. The difference of perpendicular anisotropy between the s-MTJ and the d-MTJ can be attributed to higher interfacial anisotropy together with lower saturation magnetization of the d-MTJs. The lower saturation magnetization is attributable to two MgO layers that suppress boron diffusion from CoFeB layers, which was verified by cross-sectional line analysis using electron energy-loss spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]