Abstract
Spin tunnel junctions with junction area between 50 and 10/sup 4/ /spl mu/m/sup 2/ were fabricated. A structure of glass/Ta 35/spl Aring//NiFe 20/spl Aring//IrMn 70/spl Aring//CoFe 30/spl Aring//Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ 15/spl Aring//CoFe 50/spl Aring//NiFe 45/spl Aring//Ta 120/spl Aring/ was used in the junctions. The junctions have a max MR ratio of 26.17% and a low resistance-area product of 1.22 k/spl Omega/-/spl mu/m/sup 2/. The effective barrier height is 1.04eV and the effective barrier thickness is 9.97 /spl Aring/. The max tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) values is obtained by an N/sub 2/ protecting anneal at 300/spl deg/C for 3 hours applying an external field of 3000 Oe. The as-deposited junctions show a peak-shape tunneling effect. And the peak-shape effect is weaker by increasing the temperature and the time of anneal. The ferromagnetic tunnel junctions with high MR and low resistance-area product are suitable for the applications of magnetic random access memory (MRAM) and magnetic read head.
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