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AssigneeNational Institute for Materials Science
InventorsHiroaki Sukegawa, Koichiro Inomata, Rong Shan, Masaya Kodzuka, Kazuhiro Hono, Takao Furubayashi, Wenhong Wang
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Disclosed is a ferromagnetic tunnel junction structure which is characterized by having a tunnel barrier layer that comprises a non-magnetic material having a spinel structure. The ferromagnetic tunnel junction structure is also characterized in that the non-magnetic material is substantially MgAl2O4. The ferromagnetic tunnel junction is also characterized in that at least one of the ferromagnetic layers comprises a Co-based full Heusler alloy having an L21 or B2 structure. The ferromagnetic tunnel junction structure is also characterized in that the Co-based full Heusler alloy comprises a substance represented by the following formula: Co2FeAlxSi1-x (0≦x≦1). Also disclosed are a magnetoresistive element and a spintronics device, each of which utilizes the ferromagnetic tunnel junction structure and can achieve a high TMR value, that cannot be achieved by employing conventional tunnel barrier layers other than a MgO barrier.
A metallic ferromagnetic tunnel junction structure comprising a structure having a tunnel barrier layer disposed between two ferromagnetic layers, wherein the ferromagnetic layers comprise a metal or a metal alloy, and the ferromagnetic layers are directly in contact with the upper and lower interfaces of the tunnel barrier layer, and wherein the tunnel barrier layer is crystalline having an oriented epitaxial structure and an oxidation treatment product of a metal alloy thin film and is a non-magnetic material having a spinel structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.