High TMR ratio in Co2FeSi and Fe2CoSi based magnetic tunnel junctions

Magnetic tunnel junctions with Fe1+xCo2-xSi (0 < x < 1) electrodes and MgO barrier were prepared on MgO substrates by magnetron co-sputtering. Maximum tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) ratios of 262 % at 15 K and 159 % at room temperature were observed for x=0.75. Correlations of the annealing temperature dependent atomic ordering and TMR amplitude are discussed. The high TMR for an intermediate stoichiometry is ascribed to the adjustment of the Fermi energy within a minority spin pseudo gap.