Fabrication of Fe/MgO/Gd Magnetic Tunnel Junctions

• Published in: IEEE Transactions on Magnetics Vol. 49; no. 7; pp. 4417 - 4420
• Main Authors: Takahashi, Y. T., Shiota, Y., Miwa, S., Bonell, F., Mizuochi, N., Shinjo, T., Suzuki, Y.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.07.2013; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE); Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: [PHYS]Physics [physics]; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Gadolinium (Gd); Iron; Junctions; magnetic tunnel junctions; Magnetic tunneling; Magnetism; Magnetization; magnetoresistance; Materials science; Other topics in materials science; Physics; Tunneling magnetoresistance; Voltage measurement; Fabrication; magnetic tunnel junctions; Rare earths; Magnesium oxide; Gadolinium (Gd); Magnetoresistance; Magnetic properties; Tunnels
• ISSN: 0018-9464; 1941-0069
• DOI: 10.1109/TMAG.2013.2247745

We fabricated Fe/MgO/Gd magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) on a MgO(100) substrate by molecular beam epitaxy. Gd thin films were deposited onto an MgO(100) single crystal barrier. Crystal structure and magnetization of the Gd layers were studied by in situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction and a SQUID (superconducting quantum interference device) magneto-meter, respectively. We observed magnetoresistance in the MTJs, which was attributed to the spin-polarized tunneling between the Fe and Gd films.