Local Variation of Magnetic Parameters of the Free Layer in TMR Junctions

Abstract

Local M-H loops have been measured on the free layer of a tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) junction using the magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) system, with an optical beam size of about 2 <TEX>$\mu$</TEX>m diameter. Tunnel junctions were deposited using the DC magnetron sputtering method in a chamber with a base pressure of 3<TEX>$\times$</TEX>10<TEX>$^{-9}$</TEX> Torr. The relatively irregular variations of coercive force H<TEX>$_c$</TEX>(∼17.5 Oe) and unidirectional anisotropy field H<TEX>$_{ua}$</TEX>(∼7.5 Oe) in the as-deposited sample are revealed. After <TEX>$200{^{\circ}C}$</TEX> annealing, He decreases to 15 Oe but H<TEX>$_{ua}$</TEX> increases to 20 Oe with smooth local variations. Two-dimensional plots of H<TEX>$_c$</TEX> and H<TEX>$_{ua}$</TEX> show the symmetric saddle shapes with their axes aligned with the pinned layer, irrespective of the annealing field angle. This is thought to be caused by geometric effects during deposition, together with a minor annealing effect. In addition, the variation of root mean square (RMS) surface roughness reveals it to be symmetric with respect to the center of the pinned-layer axis, with the roughness of 2.5 <TEX>$\AA$</TEX> near the edge and 5.8 <TEX>$\AA$</TEX> at the junction center. Comparison of surface roughness with the variation of H<TEX>$_{ua}$</TEX> suggests that the H<TEX>$_{ua}$</TEX> variation of the free layer is well described by dipole interactions related to surface roughness. As a whole, the reversal magnetization is not uniform over the entire junction area and the macroscopic properties are governed by the average sum of local distributions.