Improved tunneling magnetoresistance in (Ga,Mn)As/AlO(x)/CoFeB magnetic tunnel junctions

We fabricated (Ga,Mn)As/AlO(x)/Co(40)Fe(40)B(20) magnetic tunnel junctions with ferromagnetic semiconductor/insulator/ferromagnetic metal (S/I/F) structure. The treatments of pre-annealing and post-plasma cleaning on the (Ga,Mn) As film were introduced before the growth of the subsequent layers. A high tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio of 101% is achieved at 2 K, and the spin polarization of (Ga,Mn) As, P = 56.8%, is deduced from Julliere's formula. The improved TMR ratio is primarily due to the improved magnetism of (Ga,Mn) As layer by low-temperature annealing and cleaned interface between (Ga,Mn) As and AlO(x) attained by subsequent plasma cleaning process. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3603946]