Journal of Inorganic Materials ›› 2013, Vol. 28 ›› Issue (9): 977-981.DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1077.2013.12666

• Research Paper • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Exchange Coupling in CrPtMn-based Top-pinning Spin Valves

BAI Ru1, QIAN Zheng-Hong1, LI Jian-Ping1,2, SUN Yu-Cheng1,2, ZHU Hua-Chen1,2, LI Ling-Wei1, LI Yuan1, HUO De-Xuan1, PENG Ying-Zi1   

  1. (1. Center for Integrated Spintronic Devices, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China; 2. College of Materials Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China)
  • Received:2012-11-02 Revised:2012-12-28 Published:2013-09-20 Online:2013-08-14
  • About author:BAI Ru. E-mail:bairu@hdu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:

    Major Science and Technology Special Theme of Zhejiang Province(2011C11047); Innovation Research Team for Spintronic Materials and Devices of Zhejiang Province(2009[171]), Innovation Research Team of Science and Technology Agency of Zhejiang Province(2010R50010); National Program on Key Basic Rasic Research Project(2011CBA00602)

Abstract: The exchange coupling effect between the ferromagnetic pinned layer and antiferromagnetic pinning layer is considered to be one of the key factors for fabricating high performance spin-valves. In this study, the dependence of the exchange coupling field (Hex) in CrPtMn-based spin valves on the deposition pressure and subsequent anneal treatment has been investigated. It is found that the Hex for the as-deposited spin valves changes little by varying the sputtering pressure during the deposition of the CrPtMn pinning layer, and the Hex value is roughly 7.96×103 A/m. However, after the as-deposited spin valves are annealed at 240℃ for 2 h, the Hex correlates and increases with an increase of the sputtering pressure during the CrPtMn deposition. The exchange coupling Hex for annealed spin valves shows good thermal stability with a strength of 2.39×104 A/m at room temperature. The Hex gradually decreases with increasing temperature, and finally disappears at 315℃ which is its blocking temperature.

Key words: exchange coupling, spin valve, deposition pressure, measurement temperature

CLC Number: