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Chin. Phys. B, 2009, Vol. 18(2): 790-794    DOI: 10.1088/1674-1056/18/2/063
CONDENSED MATTER: ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE, ELECTRICAL, MAGNETIC, AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES Prev   Next  

Thermally activated magnetization reversal in magnetic tunnel junctions

Zhou Guang-Hong(周广宏)a)b), Wang Yin-Gang(王寅岗)a), Qi Xian-Jin(祁先进)a), Li Zi-Quan(李子全)a), and Chen Jian-Kang(陈建康)a)
a School of Materials Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China; b Department of Mechanical Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huaian 223003, China
Abstract  In this paper, the magnetization reversal of the ferromagnetic layers in the IrMn/CoFe/AlOx/CoFe magnetic tunnel junction has been investigated using bulk magnetometry. The films exhibit very complex magnetization processes and reversal mechanism. Thermal activation phenomena such as the training effect, the asymmetry of reversal, the loop broadening and the decrease of exchange field while holding the film at negative saturation have been observed on the hysteresis loops of the pinned ferromagnetic layer while not on those of the free ferromagnetic layer. The thermal activation phenomena observed can be explained by the model of two energy barrier distributions with different time constants.
Keywords:  magnetic tunnel junctions      magnetization reversal      thermal activation      exchange coupling  
Received:  24 July 2008      Revised:  29 August 2008      Accepted manuscript online: 
PACS:  75.60.Jk (Magnetization reversal mechanisms)  
  75.47.-m (Magnetotransport phenomena; materials for magnetotransport)  
  75.70.Cn (Magnetic properties of interfaces (multilayers, superlattices, heterostructures))  
  75.60.Ej (Magnetization curves, hysteresis, Barkhausen and related effects)  
  75.30.Et (Exchange and superexchange interactions)  
Fund: Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No 50671048).

Cite this article: 

Zhou Guang-Hong(周广宏), Wang Yin-Gang(王寅岗), Qi Xian-Jin(祁先进), Li Zi-Quan(李子全), and Chen Jian-Kang(陈建康) Thermally activated magnetization reversal in magnetic tunnel junctions 2009 Chin. Phys. B 18 790

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