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

We fabricated (Ga,Mn)As/AlOx/Co40Fe40B20 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 Jullière’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 AlOx attained by subsequent plasma cleaning process.