Boron migration due to annealing in CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB interfaces: A combined hard x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and x-ray absorption studies

Abdul K. Rumaiz; C. Jaye; J. C. Woicik; Weigang Wang; D. A. Fischer; J. Jordan-Sweet; C. L. Chien

doi:10.1063/1.3662967

Boron migration due to annealing in CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB interfaces: A combined hard x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and x-ray absorption studies

Abdul K. Rumaiz, C. Jaye, J. C. Woicik, Weigang Wang, D. A. Fischer, J. Jordan-Sweet, C. L. Chien

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18 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report the hard x-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (HAXPES) and near edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) of CoFeBMgOCoFeB interfaces as a function of annealing time. Upon annealing, the oxidation state of B changes from predominantly elemental (0 valence) boron in the as deposited sample to higher oxidation in annealed samples as evident from HAXPES spectra. The NEXAFS spectroscopy results showed that upon heating, B species migrate towards the MgO and interact with it. A comparison of the tunnel junction NEXAFS signature with some standards suggests that the B forms a 3-fold coordinated boron compound in the MgO environment and 4-fold coordinated boron resembling Kotoite mineral in the CoFe/MgO interface.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	222502
Journal	Applied Physics Letters
Volume	99
Issue number	22
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3662967
State	Published - Nov 28 2011
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)

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@article{c7ed1f5afc1245b8b3825194da00eefe,

title = "Boron migration due to annealing in CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB interfaces: A combined hard x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and x-ray absorption studies",

abstract = "We report the hard x-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (HAXPES) and near edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) of CoFeBMgOCoFeB interfaces as a function of annealing time. Upon annealing, the oxidation state of B changes from predominantly elemental (0 valence) boron in the as deposited sample to higher oxidation in annealed samples as evident from HAXPES spectra. The NEXAFS spectroscopy results showed that upon heating, B species migrate towards the MgO and interact with it. A comparison of the tunnel junction NEXAFS signature with some standards suggests that the B forms a 3-fold coordinated boron compound in the MgO environment and 4-fold coordinated boron resembling Kotoite mineral in the CoFe/MgO interface.",

author = "Rumaiz, {Abdul K.} and C. Jaye and Woicik, {J. C.} and Weigang Wang and Fischer, {D. A.} and J. Jordan-Sweet and Chien, {C. L.}",

note = "Funding Information: Use of the National Synchrotron Light Source was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, under Contract No. DE-AC02-98CH10886.",

year = "2011",

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doi = "10.1063/1.3662967",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "99",

journal = "Applied Physics Letters",

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T1 - Boron migration due to annealing in CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB interfaces

T2 - A combined hard x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and x-ray absorption studies

AU - Rumaiz, Abdul K.

AU - Jaye, C.

AU - Woicik, J. C.

AU - Wang, Weigang

AU - Fischer, D. A.

AU - Jordan-Sweet, J.

AU - Chien, C. L.

N1 - Funding Information: Use of the National Synchrotron Light Source was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, under Contract No. DE-AC02-98CH10886.

PY - 2011/11/28

Y1 - 2011/11/28

N2 - We report the hard x-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (HAXPES) and near edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) of CoFeBMgOCoFeB interfaces as a function of annealing time. Upon annealing, the oxidation state of B changes from predominantly elemental (0 valence) boron in the as deposited sample to higher oxidation in annealed samples as evident from HAXPES spectra. The NEXAFS spectroscopy results showed that upon heating, B species migrate towards the MgO and interact with it. A comparison of the tunnel junction NEXAFS signature with some standards suggests that the B forms a 3-fold coordinated boron compound in the MgO environment and 4-fold coordinated boron resembling Kotoite mineral in the CoFe/MgO interface.

AB - We report the hard x-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (HAXPES) and near edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) of CoFeBMgOCoFeB interfaces as a function of annealing time. Upon annealing, the oxidation state of B changes from predominantly elemental (0 valence) boron in the as deposited sample to higher oxidation in annealed samples as evident from HAXPES spectra. The NEXAFS spectroscopy results showed that upon heating, B species migrate towards the MgO and interact with it. A comparison of the tunnel junction NEXAFS signature with some standards suggests that the B forms a 3-fold coordinated boron compound in the MgO environment and 4-fold coordinated boron resembling Kotoite mineral in the CoFe/MgO interface.

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ER -

Boron migration due to annealing in CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB interfaces: A combined hard x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and x-ray absorption studies

Abstract

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