Valeri Synogatch, Neil Smith, et al.
Journal of Applied Physics
We have investigated the use of ultrathin Al2O3 barriers to fabricate low-resistance tunnel-valve sensors suitable for recording heads. Tunnel valves of the type underlayer/(IrMn or PtMn)/CoFe/ Al2O3/CoFe/NiFe/Cap layer have been fabricated by magnetron sputtering. Tunnel barriers are formed by Al metal deposition followed by in situ oxidation, and tunnel-junction test devices are built by photolithography with areas down to 1 × 1 μm2. Specific resistances as low as 13 Ω μm2 with 25% tunnel magnetoresistance have been obtained using Al thicknesses of 6-7 Å. © 2001 American Institute of Physics.
Valeri Synogatch, Neil Smith, et al.
Journal of Applied Physics
J.R. Childress, M.K. Ho, et al.
INTERMAG 2003
K.B. Jung, H. Cho, et al.
JES
H. Cho, K.B. Jung, et al.
Materials Science and Engineering B: Solid-State Materials for Advanced Technology