Effect of bias voltage and interdiffusion in Ir-Mn exchange-biased double tunnel junctions

Dual-spin-valve-type double tunnel junctions (DTJs) of sputtered Ir-Mn/Co-Fe/AlO/sub x//Co/sub 90/Fe/sub 10//AlO/sub x//Co-Fe/Ir-Mn having the R(resistance)/spl times/A(area) product; RAP /spl sim/3.0 k/spl Omega/-/spl mu/m/sup 2/ were fabricated and annealed at various temperatures (150-400/spl deg/C) to introduce interdiffusion. There is a relation between the loss of the magnetoresistance (MR) ratio and that of DC bias voltage value at which the MR ratio decreases in half value (V/sub 1/2/). After annealing at 300/spl deg/C, both the MR ratio and V/sub 1/2/ were increased to 42.4% and 872 mV, respectively, with increasing annealing temperature. Annealing above 300-350/spl deg/C, both MR ratio and V/sub 1/2/ decreased rapidly. The loss of the MR ratio and that of V/sub 1/2/ are well explained by considering interdiffusion of O and Mn at the AlO/sub x//Co-Fe/Ir-Mn interfaces. The mechanism for the loss of MR ratio is not only related to the loss of interface polarization, but is also related to the barrier properties, taking into account the spin-independent two-steps tunneling via defect states in the barrier. These results are consistent with the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and cross-sectional transmission electron spectroscopy measurements, which indicate the existence of an Al-Mn-O barrier above 300/spl deg/C.