Magnetic coupling in epitaxial TM/MgO/Fe(001) (TM=FeCo, Fe/Co, Fe) macroscopic and microscopic trilayers

Autor: José Virgilio Anguita, José Luis Costa-Krämer, M. R. Ibarra, Fernando Briones, C. Martı́nez Boubeta, David Serrate, J. M. De Teresa, J.I. Arnaudas, Alfonso Cebollada
Rok vydání: 2003
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Applied Physics. 94:4006-4012
ISSN: 1089-7550
0021-8979
DOI: 10.1063/1.1598280
Popis: Multilayered TM/MgO/Fe (001) heterostructures (TM: FeCo, Co/Fe, and Fe) are grown epitaxially, to study the dependence of the magnetic coupling between the two ferromagnetic electrodes on the insulating MgO barrier width and the lateral dimensions of the structures. The crystal quality is investigated by reflection high-energy electron diffraction in situ at different growth stages of the TM/MgO/Fe(001) heterostructures. Magnetic characterization by superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry (macroscopic structures) and transverse Kerr effect (microscopic structures) shows clearly independent switching of top and bottom electrodes at large (above 20 A) spacer thicknesses for macroscopic films. This independent switching is also observed on patterned structures. For very thin barriers, decreasing the size of the elements in patterned arrays decreases the number of junctions coupled via pinholes.
Databáze: OpenAIRE