Evidence for FeO formation at the Fe/MgO interface in epitaxial TMR structure by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

S. G. Wang; G. Han; G. H. Yu; Y. Jiang; C. Wang; A. Kohn; R. C.C. Ward

doi:10.1016/j.jmmm.2006.10.767

Evidence for FeO formation at the Fe/MgO interface in epitaxial TMR structure by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

S. G. Wang, G. Han, G. H. Yu, Y. Jiang, C. Wang, A. Kohn, R. C.C. Ward

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

80 Scopus citations

Abstract

Epitaxial Fe/MgO/Fe tunnelling magnetoresistance (TMR) structure was grown on the MgO substrate by molecular beam epitaxy, characterized in-situ by reflection high-energy electron diffraction and ex-situ by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The chemical states at the Fe/MgO interface have been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and peak decomposition technique. The results show that there is FeO formation at interface of Fe/MgO, clearly identified by the existence of Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ peaks at 708.2 and 710.4 eV, respectively, which locate at the high-energy side of the main metallic Fe peak. The presence of FeO layer at the Fe/MgO interface proved by XPS is likely to have considerable influence on its MR value and hence on its application in spintronics.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1935-1936
Number of pages	2
Journal	Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials
Volume	310
Issue number	2 SUPPL. PART 3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmmm.2006.10.767
State	Published - 1 Mar 2007
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Interface chemical reaction
Magnetic tunnelling junction (MTJ)
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Condensed Matter Physics

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10.1016/j.jmmm.2006.10.767

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@article{bcb72cfc4e7a45fdbb26c1d5b1561d8f,

title = "Evidence for FeO formation at the Fe/MgO interface in epitaxial TMR structure by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy",

abstract = "Epitaxial Fe/MgO/Fe tunnelling magnetoresistance (TMR) structure was grown on the MgO substrate by molecular beam epitaxy, characterized in-situ by reflection high-energy electron diffraction and ex-situ by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The chemical states at the Fe/MgO interface have been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and peak decomposition technique. The results show that there is FeO formation at interface of Fe/MgO, clearly identified by the existence of Fe2+ and Fe3+ peaks at 708.2 and 710.4 eV, respectively, which locate at the high-energy side of the main metallic Fe peak. The presence of FeO layer at the Fe/MgO interface proved by XPS is likely to have considerable influence on its MR value and hence on its application in spintronics.",

keywords = "Interface chemical reaction, Magnetic tunnelling junction (MTJ), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)",

author = "Wang, {S. G.} and G. Han and Yu, {G. H.} and Y. Jiang and C. Wang and A. Kohn and Ward, {R. C.C.}",

note = "Funding Information: The authors are grateful to Mr. Keith Belcher for technical support and to the engineering and physical sciences research council (EPSRC) for financial support.",

year = "2007",

month = mar,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.jmmm.2006.10.767",

language = "English",

volume = "310",

pages = "1935--1936",

journal = "Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials",

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publisher = "Elsevier",

number = "2 SUPPL. PART 3",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Evidence for FeO formation at the Fe/MgO interface in epitaxial TMR structure by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

AU - Wang, S. G.

AU - Han, G.

AU - Yu, G. H.

AU - Jiang, Y.

AU - Wang, C.

AU - Kohn, A.

AU - Ward, R. C.C.

N1 - Funding Information: The authors are grateful to Mr. Keith Belcher for technical support and to the engineering and physical sciences research council (EPSRC) for financial support.

PY - 2007/3/1

Y1 - 2007/3/1

N2 - Epitaxial Fe/MgO/Fe tunnelling magnetoresistance (TMR) structure was grown on the MgO substrate by molecular beam epitaxy, characterized in-situ by reflection high-energy electron diffraction and ex-situ by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The chemical states at the Fe/MgO interface have been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and peak decomposition technique. The results show that there is FeO formation at interface of Fe/MgO, clearly identified by the existence of Fe2+ and Fe3+ peaks at 708.2 and 710.4 eV, respectively, which locate at the high-energy side of the main metallic Fe peak. The presence of FeO layer at the Fe/MgO interface proved by XPS is likely to have considerable influence on its MR value and hence on its application in spintronics.

AB - Epitaxial Fe/MgO/Fe tunnelling magnetoresistance (TMR) structure was grown on the MgO substrate by molecular beam epitaxy, characterized in-situ by reflection high-energy electron diffraction and ex-situ by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The chemical states at the Fe/MgO interface have been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and peak decomposition technique. The results show that there is FeO formation at interface of Fe/MgO, clearly identified by the existence of Fe2+ and Fe3+ peaks at 708.2 and 710.4 eV, respectively, which locate at the high-energy side of the main metallic Fe peak. The presence of FeO layer at the Fe/MgO interface proved by XPS is likely to have considerable influence on its MR value and hence on its application in spintronics.

KW - Interface chemical reaction

KW - Magnetic tunnelling junction (MTJ)

KW - X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)

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U2 - 10.1016/j.jmmm.2006.10.767

DO - 10.1016/j.jmmm.2006.10.767

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:33847663732

SN - 0304-8853

VL - 310

SP - 1935

EP - 1936

JO - Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials

JF - Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials

IS - 2 SUPPL. PART 3

ER -

Evidence for FeO formation at the Fe/MgO interface in epitaxial TMR structure by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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