• English
  • Deutsch
  • Log In
    Password Login
    Research Outputs
    Fundings & Projects
    Researchers
    Institutes
    Statistics
Repository logo
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
  1. Home
  2. Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
  3. Artikel
  4. Electric breakdown in ultrathin MgO tunnel barrier junctions for spin-transfer torque switching
 
  • Details
  • Full
Options
2009
Journal Article
Title

Electric breakdown in ultrathin MgO tunnel barrier junctions for spin-transfer torque switching

Abstract
Magnetic tunnel junctions for spin-transfer torque (STT) switching are prepared to investigate the dielectric breakdown. Intact and broken tunnel junctions are characterized by transport measurements prior to transmission electron microscopy analysis. The comparison to our previous model for thicker MgO tunnel barriers reveals a different breakdown mechanism arising from the high current densities in a STT device: instead of local pinhole formation at a constant rate, massive electromigration and heating leads to displacement of the junction material and voids are appearing. This is determined by element resolved energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and three dimensional tomographic reconstruction.
Author(s)
Schäfers, M.
Drewello, V.
Reiss, G.
Thomas, A.
Thiel, K.
Fraunhofer-Institut für Fertigungstechnik und Angewandte Materialforschung IFAM  
Eilers, G.
Münzenberg, M.
Schuhmann, H.
Seibt, M.
Journal
Applied Physics Letters  
Open Access
DOI
10.1063/1.3272268
Language
English
Fraunhofer-Institut für Fertigungstechnik und Angewandte Materialforschung IFAM  
  • Cookie settings
  • Imprint
  • Privacy policy
  • Api
  • Contact
© 2024