Dielectric and magnetic characterizations of capacitor structures with an ionic liquid/MgO barrier and a ferromagnetic Pt electrode

The dielectric and magnetic properties of electric double layer (EDL) capacitor structures with a perpendicularly magnetized Pt/Co/Pt electrode and an insulating cap layer (MgO) are investigated. An electric field is applied through a mixed ionic liquid/MgO barrier to the surface of the top Pt layer, at which the magnetic moment is induced by the ferromagnetic proximity effect. The basic dielectric properties of the EDL capacitor are studied by varying the thickness of the MgO cap layer. The results indicate that the capacitance, i.e., the accumulated charge density at the Pt surface, is reduced with increasing the MgO thickness. From the MgO thickness dependence of the capacitance value, the effective dielectric constant of the ionic liquid is evaluated. Almost no electric field effect on the magnetic moment, the coercivity, or the Curie temperature is confirmed in the top Pt layer with the thickness of 1.3 nm, regardless of the presence or absence of the MgO cap layer, whereas the a clear change in the magnetic moment is observed when the top Pt layer is replaced by a Pd layer of 1.7 nm.