Dielectric breakdown of MgO magnetic tunnel junctions

被引：53

作者：

Dimitrov, D. V. ^{[1
]}

Gao, Zheng ^{[1
]}

Wang, Xiaobin ^{[1
]}

Jung, Wonjoon ^{[1
]}

Lou, Xiaohua ^{[1
]}

Heinonen, Olle G. ^{[1
]}

机构：

[1] Seagate Technol, Bloomington, MN 55435 USA

来源：

APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS | 2009年 / 94卷 / 12期

关键词：

boron alloys; cobalt alloys; electric breakdown; interface magnetism; iron alloys; magnesium compounds; magnetic tunnelling; ruthenium; ROOM-TEMPERATURE; MAGNETORESISTANCE;

D O I：

10.1063/1.3109792

中图分类号：

O59 [应用物理学];

学科分类号：

摘要：

We have investigated high-quality MgO tunnel junctions with a range of barrier thickness in order to identify the underlying physical mechanism responsible for dielectric breakdown. Two types of dielectric breakdown ("soft" and "hard") were observed. Soft breakdown was observed in a few percent of the devices. This breakdown mode is not intrinsic and is attributed to tunnel junction imperfections. The hard breakdown occurs because a critical electric field is reached across the tunnel barrier. Other possible breakdown mechanisms, such as thermally driven mass diffusion or charge trapping, were not consistent with the hard dielectric breakdown data and were ruled out.

引用

页数：3