Thermal stability of PtMn based synthetic spin valves using thin oxide layer

Thermal stability of PtMn based synthetic spin valves with a thin oxide layers (OL) in pinned and/or free layers has been studied. Temperature dependence of the magnetoresistance(MR) curves and thermal treatment in the magnetic field show that the OL do not deteriorate thermal stability of the spin valves. PtMn based synthetic spin valves with Ta/NiFeCr seedlayer exhibit a stronger (111) orientation and better MR properties than those with a Ta seedlayer. Furthermore, PtMn based synthetic spin valves on a Ta/NiFeCr seedlayer with and without thin OL in the pinned layer show good thermal stability. An aniferromagnetic coupling of CoFe/Ru/CoFe in these spin valves with a Ta/NiFeCr seedlayer, even though the Ru interlayer was oxidized, is more thermally stable than that in the spin valves with a Ta seedlayer at more than 400 degreesC. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.