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Atomic Assembly of Giant Magnetoresistive Multilayers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 March 2011

Haydn N.G. Wadley ,
Xiaowang Zhou  and
Robert A. Johnson
Haydn N.G. Wadley
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, U.S.A.
Xiaowang Zhou
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, U.S.A.
Robert A. Johnson
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, U.S.A.
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Abstract

The emergence of metal multilayers that exhibit giant magnetoresistance (GMR) has led to new magnetic field sensors, and approaches for nonvolatile random access memories. Controlling the atomic scale structure across the many interfaces within these multilayers is central to improve the performance of these devices. However, the ability to manipulate atomic arrangements at this scale requires an understanding of the mechanisms that control heterometal film growth during vapor deposition. It is important to develop methods that enable prediction of the effects of deposition conditions upon this structure. Atomistic simulation approaches have been combined with deposition reactor models to achieve this. We have applied these approaches to analyze the atomic scale structure of sputter deposited CoFe/Cu/CoFe giant magnetoresistive multilayers similar to those used for magnetic field sensing. Significant intermixing is revealed at the CoFe-on-Cu interface, but not at the Cu-on-CoFe interface. Recent experiments verified these predictions. The insights provide a basis for the development of processes that inhibit thermally activated atomic diffusion while allowing the controlled use of the metal atom impact energy and inert gas ions to manipulate the structure of interfaces.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 672: Symposium O – Mechanisms of Surface and Microstructure Evolution in Deposited Films and Film Structures , 2001 , O4.1
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2001

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References

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