Structural and magnetic study of hard–soft systems with ZnO barrier grown by pulsed laser deposition

Hard–soft systems with magnetic transition metal electrodes and ZnO barrier of variable thickness have been epitaxially grown by pulsed laser deposition on MgO(1 0 0) substrates. The structural reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis have shown an epitaxial growth of the CoFe2 bottom electrode, the permalloy top electrode and of the ZnO barrier. Magnetic measurements have shown a clear plateau with a separate reversal of both magnetizations of the top and bottom electrodes, which is promising for further tunnel magnetoresistance measurements. A ferromagnetic coupling between the magnetic electrodes through the barrier has been observed.