Abstract
A series of \\mbox{Co-Al-O} granular thin films were fabricated by RF reactivesputtering at various oxygen fluxes, and the tunnelling magnetoresistance(TMR), phase composition, microstructure and the conductance mechanismof the films were systematically investigated. X-ray diffraction andtransmission electron microscopy revealed that the metal granules in the filmsgradually change from an AlCo alloy phase to a pure Co phase, and the granulesbecome smaller with increasing oxygen flux. The TMR also varied withan increase of the oxygen flux and exhibited a maximum of -7% at 1.7 vol% oxygenflux. A crossover of the temperature coefficient of resistivity (TCR) frompositive to negative with the increase of the oxygen flux is observed, andzero TCR is obtained at 1.0 vol% oxygen flux, implying a change of the conductionmechanism. These behaviours of the TMR and the TCR can be ascribed to the influence ofthe oxygen flux on the phase composition and the microstructure.
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