Abstract
The magnetic and chemical interface properties of Mn–Ir∕Co–Fe∕Al+oxidation∕Ni–Fe magnetic tunnel junctions are investigated for different barrier thickness, oxidation times, and annealing conditions by x-ray absorption spectroscopy and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism. For underoxidized samples the formation of Co–Fe–Al alloy at the lower barrier interface during optimal annealing is observed. For optimally oxidized and overoxidized samples FeOx is formed during oxidation, which is reduced by Mn diffusing to the barrier during annealing. The reduction of FeOx is accompanied by an increase of the interfacial magnetic Fe moment, whereas the Co moments hardly change with the postannealing. Comparison of these results with transport properties of the junctions shows that their polycrystalline structure has to be taken into account to understand the annealing temperature and oxidation state dependence of the tunneling magnetoresistance effect.
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