Optimization of perpendicular anisotropy of Ta-inserted double CoFeB/MgO interface MTJ’s for STT-MRAM

Abstract Ta inserts in double magnetic tunnel junctions have been shown to induce perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. We fabricated the central layers of a CoFeB/MgO based double magnetic tunnel junction with a Ta insertion layer between the free layers of the magnetic tunnel junctions. The thickness of the Ta insert and CoFeB layer were varied from 0.5 to 1.1 nm and 0.9 to 1.7 nm respectively, to find which minimum thickness of Ta will induce perpendicular anisotropy in the MTJ. FMR studies were performed to measure the interfacial anisotropy Ku,i. We demonstrated that the most effective stack minimized the CoFeB thickness while maximizing the Ta thickness. This was balanced with the need to keep both CoFeB layers from decoupling or becoming magnetically dead.