open access

https://hdl.handle.net/2115/47495

Effect of defects in Heusler alloy thin films on spin-dependent tunnelling characteristics of Co2MnSi/MgO/Co2MnSi and Co2MnGe/MgO/Co2MnGe magnetic tunnel junctions

英語

2010-04-28

IOP Publishing

Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter

22(16)

164212

Fully epitaxial magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with Co-based Heusler alloy Co2MnSi electrodes and a MgO tunnel barrier were fabricated with various values of Mn composition α for Co2MnαSi in Co2MnαSi/MgO/Co2MnαSi MTJs. The tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) ratios at both 4.2 K and room temperature (RT) increased systematically with increasing α in Co2MnαSi electrodes from Mn-deficient compositions (α < 1) up to a certain Mn-rich composition (α > 1), demonstrating high TMR ratios of 1135% at 4.2 K and 236% at RT for MTJs with Mn-rich Co2MnαSi electrodes with α = 1.29. Identically fabricated Co2MnβGeδ/MgO/Co2MnβGeδ (δ = 0.38) MTJs showed similar dependence of the TMR ratio on Mn composition β, demonstrating relatively high TMR ratios of 650% at 4.2 K and 220% at RT for β = 1.40. The Mn composition dependence of the TMR ratio at both 4.2 K and RT observed commonly for both Co2MnSi/MgO/Co2MnSi and Co2MnGe/MgO/Co2MnGe MTJs can be attributed to suppressed minority-spin in-gap states around the Fermi level for Mn-rich Co2MnSi and Co2MnGe electrodes.

学術雑誌論文

Accepted Manuscript

© 2010 IOP Publishing Ltd

0953-8984

1361-648X