Mj. Plisch et al., Atomic-scale characterization of a Co/AlOx/Co magnetic tunnel junction by scanning transmission electron microscopy, APPL PHYS L, 79(3), 2001, pp. 391-393
Analytical electron microscopy has been employed to characterize the locali
zed physical and electronic structure of a Co/AlOx/Co magnetic tunnel junct
ion. The tunnel barrier is amorphous alumina with an extensive conduction b
and tail due to disorder. Both barrier edges are Al terminated and an Al-ri
ch layer exists at the bottom Co/AlOx interface. sp-d hybridization between
interfacial Co and Al atoms is observed and it is likely that the interfac
ial Al is metallic. All of these features are expected to be important to t
he magnetoresistance behavior of the junction. (C) 2001 American Institute
of Physics.