The structural, magnetic and electrical properties of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) are investigated, including the basics of tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) and the used analytical and preparation tools.

The first experimental chapter looks into the unidirectional anisotropy of exchange biased MTJs, the tunnel barrier formation by ECR plasma oxidation, the (annealing) temperature dependence, noise in MTJs and spin polarisation of ferromagnetic double layer electrodes. The second experimental chapter investigates MTJs with two tunnel barriers.