Abstract
We have studied to understand the barrier and interface qualities and structural changes through measuring temperature dependent spin-polarization as functions of plasma oxidation time and annealing time. Magnetic tunnel junctions consisting of SiO2$_2$/Ta 5/CoFe 17/IrMn 7.5/CoFe 5/Al 1.6-Ox/CoFe 5/Ta 5 (numbers in nm) were deposited and annealed when necessary. A 30 s,40 s oxidized sample showed the lowest spin-polarization values. It is presumed that tunneling electrons were depolarized and scattered by residual paramagnetic Al due to under-oxidation. On the contrary, a 60s, 70 s oxidized sample might have experienced over-oxidation, where partially oxidized magnetic dead layer was formed on top of the bottom CoFe electrode. The magnetic dead layer is known to increase the probability of spin-flip scattering. Therefore it showed a higher temperature dependence than that of the optimum sample (50 s oxidation). temperature dependence of 450 K annealed samples was improved when the as-deposited one compared. But the sample underwent 475 K and 500 K annealing exhibits inferior temperature dependence of spin-polarization, indicating that the over-annealed sample became microstucturally degraded.
자기 터널 접합(Magnetic Tunnel Junction, MTJ)의 플라즈마 산화시간과 열처리 온도에 따른 자기저항(Tunneling Magnetoresistance, TMR) 온도의존특성을 연구하였다. 플라즈마 산화시간을 30$_{s}$ 70$_{s}$ 까지 10$_{s}$ 간격으로 변화시켜 측정한 결과, 산화시간 50초에서 상온에서 25.3%의 가장 높은 TMR 비를 얻었다. 스핀 분극도 $P_{0}$ 스핀파 지수(spin wave parameter) $\alpha$를 구한 결과, 산화시간 50$_{s}$ 에서 40.3%의 가장 높은 스핀 분극도와 가장 낮은 온도 의존 특성인 (10$\pm$4.742)${\times}$$10^{-6}$ $K^{－1.5}$스핀파 지수(spin wave parameter) $\alpha$값을 얻었다. 그리고 온도별 열처리 결과 175$^{\circ}C$에서 TMR비가 25.3%에서 27.5%까지 증가하였으며 스핀파 지수는 (10$\pm$0.719)${\times}$$10^{-6}$ K $^{－1.5}$ 까지 감소하여 온도의존도가 감소하였다.
