Surface morphology of epitaxial magnetic tunnel junctions

M Mizuguchi1, Y Suzuki, T Nagahama

  • 1Department of Materials Engineering Science, Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-8531, Japan.

Summary

Epitaxial iron-magnesium oxide-iron magnetic tunnel junctions exhibit a giant tunneling magnetoresistance effect. Annealing creates flatter surfaces with steps and terraces, enhancing performance by eliminating pinholes in the magnesium oxide barrier.

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