TY - JOUR
AU - Girgis, E.
AU - Boeve, H.
AU - de Boeck, J.
AU - Schelten, J.
AU - Rottländer, P.
AU - Kohlstedt, H.
AU - Grünberg, P. A.
TI - Dielectric breakdown of lithographically patterned tunnel junctions prepared by UV oxidation method
JO - Journal of magnetism and magnetic materials
VL - 222
SN - 0304-8853
CY - Amsterdam
PB - North-Holland Publ. Co.
M1 - PreJuSER-39902
SP - 133
PY - 2001
N1 - Record converted from VDB: 12.11.2012
AB - Future magnetoresistive random access memories will require a vast matrix of reliable magnetic tunnel junctions. Therefore, the time-dependent dielectric breakdown of lithographically defined Co/Al2O3/Ni80Fe20 tunnel junctions, oxidized using an ultraviolet light-assisted oxidation process in O-2, was investigated by means of voltage ramp experiments on a series of patterned junctions with different area. As the applied voltage approaches 2 V, almost immediate breakdown of the junction is observed. This leads to an irreversible decrease of the junction resistance by more than 90%, For smaller tunnel junctions, a larger breakdown voltage was measured which confirms the statistical origin of the breakdown phenomenon. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
KW - J (WoSType)
LB - PUB:(DE-HGF)16
UR - <Go to ISI:>//WOS:000166116600020
DO - DOI:10.1016/S0304-8853(00)00359-0
UR - https://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/39902
ER -