The study of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in CoFeB sandwiched by MgO and tantalum layers using polarized neutron reflectometry

T. Zhu; Y. Yang; R. C. Yu; H. Ambaye; V. Lauter; J. Q. Xiao

doi:10.1063/1.4718423

The study of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in CoFeB sandwiched by MgO and tantalum layers using polarized neutron reflectometry

T. Zhu
, Y. Yang
, R. C. Yu
, H. Ambaye
, V. Lauter
, J. Q. Xiao

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

57 Scopus citations

Abstract

The perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) in CoFeB sandwiched by MgO and tantalum layers was investigated using anomalous Hall effect and polarized neutron reflectometry. It was found that a large PMA in the CoFeB above MgO layer was related to its low magnetization compared to the case of CoFeB under MgO layer. Using the sensitivity of neutrons to the absorption cross-section of boron, we unambiguously determined the depth profile of the boron distribution and showed that after annealing, most of the boron diffused to form a 2-nm-thick interface layer between the CoFeB and tantalum layers.

Original language	English
Article number	202406
Journal	Applied Physics Letters
Volume	100
Issue number	20
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4718423
State	Published - May 14 2012

Funding

This work has been supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (2012CB933102) and National Science Foundation of China (Grants 50871120, 11079052, and 11174354). Research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Spallation Neutron Source was sponsored by the Scientific User Facilities Division, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, US Department of Energy. J. Q. Xiao is supported by DOE under Grant number DE-FG02-07ER46374. The authors thank Ms. D. Counce from ORNL Publishing Services for her help with the manuscript editing.

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10.1063/1.4718423

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abstract = "The perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) in CoFeB sandwiched by MgO and tantalum layers was investigated using anomalous Hall effect and polarized neutron reflectometry. It was found that a large PMA in the CoFeB above MgO layer was related to its low magnetization compared to the case of CoFeB under MgO layer. Using the sensitivity of neutrons to the absorption cross-section of boron, we unambiguously determined the depth profile of the boron distribution and showed that after annealing, most of the boron diffused to form a 2-nm-thick interface layer between the CoFeB and tantalum layers.",

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AU - Zhu, T.

AU - Yang, Y.

AU - Yu, R. C.

AU - Ambaye, H.

AU - Lauter, V.

AU - Xiao, J. Q.

PY - 2012/5/14

Y1 - 2012/5/14

N2 - The perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) in CoFeB sandwiched by MgO and tantalum layers was investigated using anomalous Hall effect and polarized neutron reflectometry. It was found that a large PMA in the CoFeB above MgO layer was related to its low magnetization compared to the case of CoFeB under MgO layer. Using the sensitivity of neutrons to the absorption cross-section of boron, we unambiguously determined the depth profile of the boron distribution and showed that after annealing, most of the boron diffused to form a 2-nm-thick interface layer between the CoFeB and tantalum layers.

AB - The perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) in CoFeB sandwiched by MgO and tantalum layers was investigated using anomalous Hall effect and polarized neutron reflectometry. It was found that a large PMA in the CoFeB above MgO layer was related to its low magnetization compared to the case of CoFeB under MgO layer. Using the sensitivity of neutrons to the absorption cross-section of boron, we unambiguously determined the depth profile of the boron distribution and showed that after annealing, most of the boron diffused to form a 2-nm-thick interface layer between the CoFeB and tantalum layers.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84861795254

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VL - 100

JO - Applied Physics Letters

JF - Applied Physics Letters

IS - 20

M1 - 202406

ER -

The study of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in CoFeB sandwiched by MgO and tantalum layers using polarized neutron reflectometry

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