<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${L}{\text {1}}_{\text {0}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-Ordered MnAl Thin Films With High Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy Using TiN Underlayers on Si Substrates

Abstract

Ferromagnetic L1 0 -ordered τ-phase MnAl thin films have been shown to exhibit high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (K u > 107 ergs/cm3), moderate saturation magnetization (M 0 -ordering for perpendicular anisotropy in MnAl thin films has proven challenging and highly sensitive to deposition conditions and underlayers used [2]. Using MgO underlayers, we previously demonstrated MnAl thin films with high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) on Si substrates for the first time [3]. However, MgO is an insulator, which presents two major challenges. First, MgO must be RF-sputtered, which results in low deposition rates, re-sputtering, and therefore the potential for MgO contamination in undesirable locations. Second, since it is an insulator, MgO impedes the use of MnAl film stacks as the bottom electrode in a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) for spintronic applications.