Annealing effects on the magnetic dead layer and saturation magnetization in unit structures relevant to a synthetic ferrimagnetic free structure

The changes in the magnetic dead layer (MDL) and saturation magnetization of the CoFeB layers are investigated as a function of the annealing temperature for four different unit structures, that are relevant to the synthetic ferrimagnetic free structure in MgO-based magnetic tunnel junctions. The MDL results for these unit structures are then converted into those for the constituent interfaces of the free structure. Most of the changes in the MDL thickness occur during annealing at a low temperature of 150 degrees C while those in the saturation magnetization occur at a high annealing temperature of 350 degrees C. These results for the MDL and saturation magnetization are critically tested by using the synthetic ferrimagnetic free structures with various thickness asymmetries. The observed switching properties of these tested structures are in good agreement with those expected from the results for the MDL and saturation magnetization, confirming the accuracy of the present results. The accuracy of the saturation magnetization is further confirmed by ferromagnetic resonance experiments. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3527968]