Fabrication of current-perpendicular-to-plane junctions based on Fe ₃Si/FeSi₂ multilayered films by lift-off

Current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) junctions comprising Fe ₃Si/FeSi₂ multilayers were prepared by a lift-off process combined with lithography techniques. The Fe₃Si/FeSi₂ multilayered films were grown on Si (111) substrates at room temperature by facing-targets direct-current sputtering. From the X-ray diffraction measurements, it was confirmed that the Fe₃Si layers were epitaxially grown from the first layer on Si (111) up to the top layer across the FeSi2 layers with the same orientation relationship as that in the first layer. The CPP junctions, wherein ferromagnetic interlayer coupling across the FeSi2 spacer layers was induced, exhibited an obvious change in the electrical resistance for the current injection, which might be due to currentinduced magnetization switching.