Characteristics of magnetic tunnel junctions comprising ferromagnetic amorphous NiFeSiB layers

Abstract

In this study, we investigated that both magnetic switching and tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio of MTJs with the NiFeSiB free layer. The junctions were fabricated by a photolithographic patterning procedure and ion beam etching. A magnetic field of 100 Oe was applied during deposition to induce the uniaxial magnetic anisotropy in ferromagnetic layer.The NiFeSiB layers were used to substitute for the traditionally used CoFe and/or NiFe layers with the emphasis being given to obtaining an understanding of the effect of the amorphous free layer on the switching characteristics of the MTJs. Ni <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">16</sub> Fe <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">62</sub> Si <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">8</sub> B <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">14</sub> has a lower saturation magnetization (Ms: 800 emu/cm3) than Co <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">90</sub> Fe <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">10</sub> and a higher anisotropy constant.