Abstract
The reaction between the water and the MgO thin film of the magnetic tunneling junction barrier under different temperatures were investigated. The epitaxial MgO (001) thin film with a thickness of 20 nm was exposed to the deionized water for 5 min at different water temperatures. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) combination with in situ Ar+ ion etching and scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to investigate the chemical composition and formation of the Mg(OH)2 layer on the MgO film. SEM results showed that the surface morphology strongly depended on the temperature. XPS depth profile measurements reveal the effect of the water temperature on the dissolution of MgO film. The remaining thickness of the film decreases with increasing water temperature. This work proposes the qualitative model representing the mechanism dissolution behavior and the formation of Mg(OH)2 layer on the MgO film under different water temperatures.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
