Masaya Kodzuka

Broadening the applications of the atom probe technique by ultraviolet femtosecond laser.

Laser assisted field evaporation using ultraviolet (UV) wavelength gives rise to better mass resolution and signal-to-noise ratio in atom probe mass spectra of metals, semiconductors and insulators compared to infrared and green lasers. Combined with the site specific specimen preparation techniques using the lift-out and annular Ga ion milling in a focused ion beam machine, a wide variety of materials including insulating oxides can be quantitatively analyzed by the three-dimensional atom probe using UV laser assisted field evaporation. After discussing laser irradiation conditions for optimized atom probe analyses, recent atom probe tomography results on oxides, semiconductor devices and grain boundaries of sintered magnets are presented.

Influence of boron diffusion on the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in Ta|CoFeB|MgO ultrathin films

We have studied structural and magnetic properties of Ta|CoFeB|MgO heterostructures using cross-section transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron energy loss spectrum (EELS) imaging, and vibrating sample magnetometry. From the TEM studies, the CoFeB layer is found to be predominantly amorphous for as deposited films, whereas small crystallites, diameter of ∼5 nm, are observed in films annealed at 300 °C. We find that the presence of such nanocrystallites is not sufficient for the occurrence of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Using EELS, we find that boron diffuses into the Ta underlayer upon annealing. The Ta underlayer thickness dependence of the magnetic anisotropy indicates that ∼0.2 nm of Ta underlayer is enough to absorb the boron from the CoFeB layer and induce perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Boron diffusion upon annealing becomes limited when the CoFeB layer thickness is larger than ∼2 nm, which coincides with the thickness at which the saturation magnetization MS and the interface mag...

3DAP analysis of (Ga,Mn)As diluted magnetic semiconductor thin film

The distribution of Mn in a Ga(0.963)Mn(0.037)As ferromagnetic semiconductor film has been characterized by the three-dimensional atom probe (3DAP) technique. Atom probe specimens were directly prepared from the (Ga,Mn)As film grown epitaxially on a p-type GaAs substrate by the lift-out technique using a scanning electron microscope/focused ion beam system. The atom probe elemental map revealed that the Mn atoms in the Ga(0.963)Mn(0.037)As are uniformly dissolved without forming any nanometer-sized clusters.

Structure and magnetoresistance of current-perpendicular-to-plane pseudo spin valves using Co2Mn(Ga0.25Ge0.75) Heusler alloy

We have investigated the structure and magnetoresistance of current-perpendicular-to-plane giant magnetoresistance (CPP-GMR) pseudo spin valves (PSVs) using Co2Mn(Ga0.25Ge0.75) (CMGG) Heusler alloy ferromagnetic layers annealed at different temperatures. Relatively large ΔRA of 6.1 mΩμm2 and MR ratio of 40.2% were obtained in the CPP-PSV annealed at 400 °C. Annealing at higher than 400 °C led to a significant deterioration of MR outputs. Detailed structure analysis using transmission electron microscopy, three-dimensional atom probe, and synchrotron x-ray diffraction showed that the degradation of MR in the over-annealed sample was due to the increase of DO3 disorder in the CMGG layer, while the layered structure of the film is fully preserved.

Effects of boron composition on tunneling magnetoresistance ratio and microstructure of CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB pseudo-spin-valve magnetic tunnel junctions

The effect of B concentration on the tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) of (Co25Fe75)100−xBx/MgO/(Co25Fe75)100−xBx (x = 22 and 33) pseudo-spin-valve (P-SV) magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) was investigated. The TMR ratios for optimally annealed MTJs with x = 22 and 33 were 340% and 170%, respectively, at room temperature. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) observation showed a weaker (001) texture in the MgO barrier in the MTJ with x = 33. The bottom electrode was not fully crystallized even with a considerable amount of B in the (Co25Fe75)67B33, while good epitaxy was observed between (001) textured MgO and (Co25Fe75)78B22 electrodes.

Growth and characterization of n-type electron-induced ferromagnetic semiconductor (In,Fe)As

We show that by introducing isoelectronic iron (Fe) magnetic impurities and Beryllium (Be) double-donor atoms into InAs, it is possible to grow a n-type ferromagnetic semiconductor (FMS) with the ability to control ferromagnetism by both Fe and independent carrier doping by low-temperature molecular-beam epitaxy. We demonstrate that (In,Fe)As doped with electrons behaves as an n-type electron-induced FMS. This achievement opens the way to realize novel spin-devices such as spin light-emitting diodes or spin field-effect transistors, as well as helps understand the mechanism of carrier-mediated ferromagnetism in FMSs.

Giant Peltier Effect in a Submicron-Sized Cu-Ni/Au Junction with Nanometer-Scale Phase Separation

We observed a giant Peltier effect in a submicron Cu–Ni/Au junction. The Peltier coefficient was evaluated to be 480 mV at room temperature from the balance between Joule heating and the Peltier cooling effect in the junction, which is 40 times that expected from the Seebeck coefficients of bulk Au and Cu–Ni alloy. This giant cooling effect lowered the inner temperature of the junction by 160 K. Microstructure analysis with a three-dimensional atom probe suggested that the giant Peltier effect possibly originated from nanometer-scale phase separation in the Cu–Ni layer.

Laser assisted atom probe analysis of thin film on insulating substrate.

We demonstrate that the atom probe analyses of metallic thin films on insulating substrates are possible using laser assisted field evaporation. The tips with metallic thin film and insulating substrate (0.6-3 μm in thickness) were prepared by the lift-out and annular ion beam milling techniques on tungsten supports. In spite of the existence of thick insulating layer between the metallic film and the tungsten support, atom probe tomography with practical mass resolution, signal-to-noise ratio and spatial resolution was found to be possible using laser assisted field evaporation.

Laser-assisted Atom Probe Analysis of Bulk Insulating Ceramics

A Yb:KGW femtosecond laser (400 fs) with 3rd and 4th harmonic generators (343 and 258 nm) was adopted to a locally built 3DAP instrument to assist field evaporation from ceramics tips that were bonded on tungsten wire. Using this setting, we have demonstrated that quantitative atom probe tomography is possible from Y2O3-ZrO2-MgAl2O4, (Ce,Y)O2, Li(Co,Ni,Mg,Al)O2 bulk ceramics, which are all insulators.