Influence of Pinholes on MgO-Tunnel Junction Barrier Parameters Obtained from Current-Voltage Characteristics

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2010

Authors

ventura, j. (Author) REIT; teixeira, j. m. (Author) REIT; araujo, j. p. (Author) FCUP; sousa, j. b. (Author) FCUP; Ferreira, R (Author) Other; Freitas, PP (Author) Other; Langer, J (Author) Other; Ocker, B (Author) Other; Maass, W (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Vol. 10 No. 4

Pages: 2731-2734

ISSN: 1533-4880

Publisher: American Scientific Publishers

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 7 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 7 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Natural sciences > Physical sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-7YS

DOI: 10.1166/jnn.2010.1377

Abstract (EN): Magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with thin barriers are already used as read sensors in recording media. However, the presence of pinholes across such few A thick barriers cannot be excluded and one needs to investigate their effect on the MTJ-transport properties. By applying large electrical currents we could change the electrical resistance of the studied MgO MTJs (due to pinhole-size variations), and study how pinholes influence the barrier parameters (thickness t and height phi) obtained by fitting current-voltage characteristics to Simmons' model. We found that, with decreasing resistance, the barrier thickness (height) decreases (increases). These results were well reproduced by a model of parallel-resistances, allowing us to estimate pinhole-free barrier parameters.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 4