Characterization of the asymmetrical barrier potentials in CoFe/AlOx/Co magnetic tunneling junction by electron holography

Abstract Electron holography (EH) in a field emission gun transmission electron microscope has been used to profile the inner potential V 0 across CoFe/AlO x /Co magnetic tunneling junctions (MTJs). The spatial dimension of the AlO x barrier layer can be accurately determined from the phase profile at the tunneling junctions. The EH results show unambiguously that the potential jump across the CoFe/AlO x interface is smaller than that across the Co/AlO x interface, which results in asymmetrical barriers in the MTJs. The inner potential difference and the asymmetrical barrier were discussed based on the different oxidation statuses between Co/AlO x and CoFe/AlO x interfaces.