Switching characteristics in magnetic tunnel junctions with a synthetic antiferromagentic free layer

Abstract

The properties of sub-micrometer scaled MTJs using various synthetic antiferromagnetic (SAF) free layer were studied using remanent-state measurement. The magnetic tunnel junction device was a structure consisted of TiN/PtMn/CoFe/Ru/CoFe/AlO/NiFe/Ru/NiFe/Ta. It was found that junctions using single free layer showed complex switching behaviors with larger switching field variation while the junction using a specific SAF free layer exhibited kink-free R-H curves with less switching field variation. MR ratio and magnetization moment of the MTJ were also measured