Three-dimensional atom probe investigation of boron distribution in CoFeBMgOCoFeB magnetic tunnel junctions

S. Pinitsoontorn; A. Cerezo; A. K. Petford-Long; D. Mauri; L. Folks; M. J. Carey

doi:10.1063/1.2973045

Three-dimensional atom probe investigation of boron distribution in CoFeBMgOCoFeB magnetic tunnel junctions

S. Pinitsoontorn, A. Cerezo, A. K. Petford-Long, D. Mauri, L. Folks, M. J. Carey

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

41 Scopus citations

Abstract

Significant lateral compositional variations have been revealed in a three-dimensional atom probe (3DAP) study of the MgO barriers of magnetic tunnel junctions. High resolution electron microscopy of the CoFeBMgOCoFeBRuCoFePtMn multilayer indicates that the MgO barrier is smooth, uniform, and with good crystallinity. Nevertheless, the 3DAP data show lateral variations in the MgO composition over length scales on the order of tens of nanometers. Boron is not uniformly distributed within the CoFeB layers, but has tended to segregate to the interfaces. Annealing has no significant effect on the distribution of B, indicating that the segregation occurring during growth is relatively stable.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	071901
Journal	Applied Physics Letters
Volume	93
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2973045
State	Published - 2008
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)

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title = "Three-dimensional atom probe investigation of boron distribution in CoFeBMgOCoFeB magnetic tunnel junctions",

abstract = "Significant lateral compositional variations have been revealed in a three-dimensional atom probe (3DAP) study of the MgO barriers of magnetic tunnel junctions. High resolution electron microscopy of the CoFeBMgOCoFeBRuCoFePtMn multilayer indicates that the MgO barrier is smooth, uniform, and with good crystallinity. Nevertheless, the 3DAP data show lateral variations in the MgO composition over length scales on the order of tens of nanometers. Boron is not uniformly distributed within the CoFeB layers, but has tended to segregate to the interfaces. Annealing has no significant effect on the distribution of B, indicating that the segregation occurring during growth is relatively stable.",

author = "S. Pinitsoontorn and A. Cerezo and Petford-Long, {A. K.} and D. Mauri and L. Folks and Carey, {M. J.}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, UK, under grant number GR/S96463/01. This manuscript has been created in part by UChicago Argonne, LLC, Operator of Argonne National Laboratory, a U.S. DOE-Ofice of Science Laboratory: Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357.",

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doi = "10.1063/1.2973045",

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volume = "93",

journal = "Applied Physics Letters",

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T1 - Three-dimensional atom probe investigation of boron distribution in CoFeBMgOCoFeB magnetic tunnel junctions

AU - Pinitsoontorn, S.

AU - Cerezo, A.

AU - Petford-Long, A. K.

AU - Mauri, D.

AU - Folks, L.

AU - Carey, M. J.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, UK, under grant number GR/S96463/01. This manuscript has been created in part by UChicago Argonne, LLC, Operator of Argonne National Laboratory, a U.S. DOE-Ofice of Science Laboratory: Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357.

PY - 2008

Y1 - 2008

N2 - Significant lateral compositional variations have been revealed in a three-dimensional atom probe (3DAP) study of the MgO barriers of magnetic tunnel junctions. High resolution electron microscopy of the CoFeBMgOCoFeBRuCoFePtMn multilayer indicates that the MgO barrier is smooth, uniform, and with good crystallinity. Nevertheless, the 3DAP data show lateral variations in the MgO composition over length scales on the order of tens of nanometers. Boron is not uniformly distributed within the CoFeB layers, but has tended to segregate to the interfaces. Annealing has no significant effect on the distribution of B, indicating that the segregation occurring during growth is relatively stable.

AB - Significant lateral compositional variations have been revealed in a three-dimensional atom probe (3DAP) study of the MgO barriers of magnetic tunnel junctions. High resolution electron microscopy of the CoFeBMgOCoFeBRuCoFePtMn multilayer indicates that the MgO barrier is smooth, uniform, and with good crystallinity. Nevertheless, the 3DAP data show lateral variations in the MgO composition over length scales on the order of tens of nanometers. Boron is not uniformly distributed within the CoFeB layers, but has tended to segregate to the interfaces. Annealing has no significant effect on the distribution of B, indicating that the segregation occurring during growth is relatively stable.

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Three-dimensional atom probe investigation of boron distribution in CoFeBMgOCoFeB magnetic tunnel junctions

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