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Vol.41, No.1, 51 ~ 56, 2003
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| Title |
| Formation of Tunnel Barrier Using a New Pseudo-Atomic Layer Deposition Method and Its Application to Spin-Dependent Tunneling Junction |
| 한신희 Shin Hee Han , 정원철 Won Cheol Jeong , 이장식 Jang Sik Lee , 김병동 Byoung Dong Kim , 주승기 Seung Ki Joo |
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| Abstract |
| The tunneling barrier is crucial to the overall performance in magnetic tunnel junction. We have suggested a new formation method for the tunnel barrier, which has utilized pseudo atomic layer deposition with sputtering (PALDS). As is well known, all metallic thin films oxidize more or less under atmospheric conditions. With using this property of metallic thin films, we have prepared tunnel barrier by sputtering metallic thin film and exposing it to the oxygen ambience. From transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation, the formed tunnel barrier has been confirmed to have clear and good interface between magnetic layers and tunnel barrier. From atomic force microscopy (AFM) observation, it has been also confirmed to have low surface roughness. The TMR MRAM cell manufactured using PALDS method has been shown to exhibit typical tunnel resistance of 86 KΩ·μm＾2 and TMR ratio of about 40%. The 40% of MR is quite large. It is considered that this value is geometrically enhanced magnetoresistance due to the low junction resistance of MTJ. |
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| Key Words |
| Magnetoresistive RAM (MRAM), Pseudo Atomic Layer Deposition with Sputtering (PALDS), Magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ), Tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) |
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