Magnetic Tunnel Barriers and Associated Magnetic Tunnel Junctions with High Tunneling Magnetoresistance
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- forming a tunnel barrier over a first body centered cubic (bcc) magnetic layer, wherein the tunnel barrier is selected from the group consisting of MgO and Mg—
ZnO tunnel barriers; and
forming a second bcc magnetic layer over the tunnel barrier, in which the first bcc magnetic layer, the tunnel barrier, and the second bcc magnetic layer constitute a magnetic tunnel junction having a tunneling magnetoresistance of greater than 100% at room temperature, wherein;
at least one of the first and second bcc magnetic layers includes two bcc magnetic layers separated by a bcc spacer layer that exchange couples said two bcc magnetic layers.
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Abstract
Magnetic tunneling devices are formed from a first body centered cubic (bcc) magnetic layer and a second bcc magnetic layer. At least one spacer layer of bcc material between these magnetic layers exchange couples the first and second bcc magnetic layers. A tunnel barrier in proximity with the second magnetic layer permits spin-polarized current to pass between the tunnel barrier and the second layer; the tunnel barrier may be either MgO and Mg—ZnO. The first magnetic layer, the spacer layer, the second magnetic layer, and the tunnel barrier are all preferably (100) oriented. The MgO and Mg—ZnO tunnel barriers are prepared by first depositing a metallic layer on the second magnetic layer (e.g., a Mg layer), thereby substantially reducing the oxygen content in this magnetic layer, which improves the performance of the tunnel barriers.
60 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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forming a tunnel barrier over a first body centered cubic (bcc) magnetic layer, wherein the tunnel barrier is selected from the group consisting of MgO and Mg—
ZnO tunnel barriers; andforming a second bcc magnetic layer over the tunnel barrier, in which the first bcc magnetic layer, the tunnel barrier, and the second bcc magnetic layer constitute a magnetic tunnel junction having a tunneling magnetoresistance of greater than 100% at room temperature, wherein; at least one of the first and second bcc magnetic layers includes two bcc magnetic layers separated by a bcc spacer layer that exchange couples said two bcc magnetic layers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification