Perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions with strong antiferromagnetic interlayer exchange coupling at first oscillation peak

We systematically developed a perpendicularly magnetized synthetic antiferromagnetically (p-SAF) coupled reference structure with strong interlayer exchange coupling (IEC) at the first peak, where the thickness of the Ru layer between the Co/Pt superlattice layers was 0.4-0.5 nm. A high IEC energy density (2.2 erg/cm(2)) and a high magnetoresistance ratio (110-150%) with an ultralow resistance-area product (2-5 Omega.mu m(2)) were simultaneously achieved in the integrated magnetic tunnel junctions of the p-SAF structure. The use of p-SAF coupling with strong IEC is attractive because of its ability to produce highly stable and unidirectional reference layers for memory applications. (C) 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics