Magnetic Domain Imaging of a Half Metallic Heusler Alloy in an Unpatterned CoFeB/MgO/Co2FeSi Magnetic Tunnel Junction

Published

September 3, 2020

Author(s)

Daniel Gopman, Yury Kabanov, Robert D. Shull, Philip Pong, Chao Zheng

Abstract

We report the magnetization reversal behavior of the Co2FeSi Heusler alloy free layer in a pinned magnetic tunnel junction film using magneto-optic indicator film imaging and magnetometry. While the reversal behavior under fields applied perpendicular to the exchange bias direction indicates smooth, coherent rotation away from the easy axis, magnetic reversal behavior along the easy axis is strongly influenced by the reference layer. In particular, we observe that reversed domains propagate from the depths of the film laterally outward toward the edges as the free layer magnetization switches into parallel alignment with the pinned synthetic antiferromagnetic reference layer complex (IrMn/CoFe/Ru/CoFeB). On the other hand, domains propagate from the film edges inward for the free layer transition into antiparallel alignment with the reference layer. These results have important implications for understanding the reversal behavior of patterned Heusler magnetic tunnel junction devices.

Citation

Applied Surface Science

Pub Type

Journals

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2020.147672

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Keywords

magnetic domain imaging, MRAM, Co2FeSi, Heusler alloy

Citation

Gopman, D. , Kabanov, Y. , Shull, R. , Pong, P. and Zheng, C. (2020), Magnetic Domain Imaging of a Half Metallic Heusler Alloy in an Unpatterned CoFeB/MgO/Co2FeSi Magnetic Tunnel Junction, Applied Surface Science, [online], https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2020.147672, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=930272 (Accessed October 6, 2025)