Tunnel magnetoresistance with improved bias voltage dependence in lattice-matched Fe/spinel MgAl2O4/Fe(001) junctions

Tunnel magnetoresistance with improved bias voltage dependence in lattice-matched Fe/spinel MgAl2O4/Fe(001) junctions

We fabricated fully epitaxial Fe/MgAl2O4/Fe(001) magnetic tunnel junctions using plasma oxidation of an Mg/Al bilayer. The MgAl2O4 showed a (001)-oriented spinel-type structure, and there were few misfit dislocations at the interfaces between the MgAl2O4 and the two Fe layers due to a small lattice...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied physics letters Vol. 96; no. 21
Main Authors: Sukegawa, Hiroaki, Xiu, Huixin, Ohkubo, Tadakatsu, Furubayashi, Takao, Niizeki, Tomohiko, Wang, Wenhong, Kasai, Shinya, Mitani, Seiji, Inomata, Koichiro, Hono, Kazuhiro
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: 24-05-2010
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:We fabricated fully epitaxial Fe/MgAl2O4/Fe(001) magnetic tunnel junctions using plasma oxidation of an Mg/Al bilayer. The MgAl2O4 showed a (001)-oriented spinel-type structure, and there were few misfit dislocations at the interfaces between the MgAl2O4 and the two Fe layers due to a small lattice mismatch (∼1%). Tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) ratios up to 117% (165%) were obtained at room temperature (15 K). The bias voltage for one-half of the zero-bias TMR ratio (Vhalf) was relatively large, ranging from 1.0 to 1.3 V at room temperature, which is attributed to the small misfit dislocation density.
ISSN:0003-6951
1077-3118
DOI:10.1063/1.3441409