Effects of Interfacial Oxygen Diffusion on the Magnetic Properties and Thermal Stability of Pd/CoFeB/Pd/Ta Heterostructure

TL;DR

This study explores how annealing temperatures affect the magnetic properties and thermal stability of Pd/CoFeB/Pd/Ta heterostructures, emphasizing interfacial oxygen diffusion's role in tailoring spintronic device functionalities.

Contribution

It provides new insights into controlling magnetic anisotropy and spin dynamics via annealing-induced oxygen diffusion and oxidation in multilayer heterostructures.

Findings

Increased annealing temperature crystallizes CoFeB, affecting magnetic coercivity.

Thermal stability of in-plane magnetic anisotropy persists up to 700°C.

Oxygen diffusion and oxidation states are modulated by annealing, influencing magnetic properties.

Abstract

We investigated the effects of annealing temperatures (TA) on a Pd (5 nm)/CoFeB (10 nm)/Pd (3 nm)/Ta (10 nm) multilayer structure. The as-deposited sample showed an amorphous state with in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy (UMA), resulting in low coercivity and moderate damping constant ({\alpha}) values. Increasing TA led to crystallization, forming bcc-CoFe (110) crystals, which increased in-plane coercivity and introduced isotropic magnetic anisotropy, slightly reducing the {\alpha}. The two-fold UMA persists up to 600 C, and the thermal stability of the in-plane magnetic anisotropy remains intact even TA = 700 C. The TA significantly influenced the magnetic properties such as in-plane saturation magnetization (Ms//), in-plane and out-of-plane coercivities, and in-plane effective magnetic anisotropy energy density (Keff). Above 600 C, Keff decreased, indicating a transition towards uniaxial perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Interfacial oxidation and diffusion from the Ta capping layer to the Pd/CoFeB/Pd interfaces were observed, influencing chemical bonding states. Annealing at 700 C, reduced oxygen within TaOx through a redox reaction involving Ta crystallization, forming TaB, PdO, and BOx states. Ferromagnetic resonance spectra analysis indicated variations in resonance field (Hr) due to local chemical environments. The {\alpha} reduction, reaching a minimum at 300 C annealing, was attributed to reduced structural disorder from inhomogeneities. Tailoring magnetic anisotropy and spin dynamic properties in Pd/CoFeB/Pd/Ta structures through TA-controlled oxygen diffusion/oxidation highlights their potential for SOT, DMI, and magnetic skyrmion-based spintronic devices.