Control of defect-mediated tunneling barrier heights in ultrathin MgO films

D. J. Kim; W. S. Choi; F. Schleicher; R. H. Shin; S. Boukari; V. Davesne; C. Kieber; J. Arabski; G. Schmerber; E. Beaurepaire; W. Jo; M. Bowen

doi:10.1063/1.3531652

Control of defect-mediated tunneling barrier heights in ultrathin MgO films

D. J. Kim, W. S. Choi, F. Schleicher, R. H. Shin, S. Boukari, V. Davesne, C. Kieber, J. Arabski, G. Schmerber, E. Beaurepaire, W. Jo, M. Bowen

Department of Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

22 Scopus citations

Abstract

The impact of oxygen vacancies on local tunneling properties across rf-sputtered MgO thin films was investigated by optical absorption spectroscopy and conducting atomic force microscopy. Adding O₂ to the Ar plasma during MgO growth alters the oxygen defect populations, leading to improved local tunneling characteristics such as a lower density of current hotspots and a lower tunnel current amplitude. We discuss a defect-based potential landscape across ultrathin MgO barriers.

Original language	English
Article number	263502
Journal	Applied Physics Letters
Volume	97
Issue number	26
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3531652
State	Published - 27 Dec 2010

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We thank Y. Yin for assistance with optical experiments and D. Halley and S. J. Park for stimulating discussions. This work was supported by the EC FP6 (Grant No. NMP3-CT-2006-033370), the French ANR (Grants No. ANR-06-NANO-033-01 and No. ANR-09-JCJC-0137), and by the Korean MEST (Grant No. 2010K000339 from CNMT under 21st Century Frontier R&D Programs; Grant No. NRF 2010-0020416).

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title = "Control of defect-mediated tunneling barrier heights in ultrathin MgO films",

abstract = "The impact of oxygen vacancies on local tunneling properties across rf-sputtered MgO thin films was investigated by optical absorption spectroscopy and conducting atomic force microscopy. Adding O2 to the Ar plasma during MgO growth alters the oxygen defect populations, leading to improved local tunneling characteristics such as a lower density of current hotspots and a lower tunnel current amplitude. We discuss a defect-based potential landscape across ultrathin MgO barriers.",

author = "Kim, {D. J.} and Choi, {W. S.} and F. Schleicher and Shin, {R. H.} and S. Boukari and V. Davesne and C. Kieber and J. Arabski and G. Schmerber and E. Beaurepaire and W. Jo and M. Bowen",

note = "Funding Information: We thank Y. Yin for assistance with optical experiments and D. Halley and S. J. Park for stimulating discussions. This work was supported by the EC FP6 (Grant No. NMP3-CT-2006-033370), the French ANR (Grants No. ANR-06-NANO-033-01 and No. ANR-09-JCJC-0137), and by the Korean MEST (Grant No. 2010K000339 from CNMT under 21st Century Frontier R&D Programs; Grant No. NRF 2010-0020416).",

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doi = "10.1063/1.3531652",

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volume = "97",

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T1 - Control of defect-mediated tunneling barrier heights in ultrathin MgO films

AU - Kim, D. J.

AU - Choi, W. S.

AU - Schleicher, F.

AU - Shin, R. H.

AU - Boukari, S.

AU - Davesne, V.

AU - Kieber, C.

AU - Arabski, J.

AU - Schmerber, G.

AU - Beaurepaire, E.

AU - Jo, W.

AU - Bowen, M.

N1 - Funding Information: We thank Y. Yin for assistance with optical experiments and D. Halley and S. J. Park for stimulating discussions. This work was supported by the EC FP6 (Grant No. NMP3-CT-2006-033370), the French ANR (Grants No. ANR-06-NANO-033-01 and No. ANR-09-JCJC-0137), and by the Korean MEST (Grant No. 2010K000339 from CNMT under 21st Century Frontier R&D Programs; Grant No. NRF 2010-0020416).

PY - 2010/12/27

Y1 - 2010/12/27

N2 - The impact of oxygen vacancies on local tunneling properties across rf-sputtered MgO thin films was investigated by optical absorption spectroscopy and conducting atomic force microscopy. Adding O2 to the Ar plasma during MgO growth alters the oxygen defect populations, leading to improved local tunneling characteristics such as a lower density of current hotspots and a lower tunnel current amplitude. We discuss a defect-based potential landscape across ultrathin MgO barriers.

AB - The impact of oxygen vacancies on local tunneling properties across rf-sputtered MgO thin films was investigated by optical absorption spectroscopy and conducting atomic force microscopy. Adding O2 to the Ar plasma during MgO growth alters the oxygen defect populations, leading to improved local tunneling characteristics such as a lower density of current hotspots and a lower tunnel current amplitude. We discuss a defect-based potential landscape across ultrathin MgO barriers.

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Control of defect-mediated tunneling barrier heights in ultrathin MgO films

Abstract

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