Ultrafast switching in magnetic tunnel junction based orthogonal spin transfer devices

Orthogonal spin-transfer magnetic random access memory (OST-MRAM) uses a spin-polarizing layer magnetized perpendicularly to a free layer to achieve large spin-transfer torques and ultrafast energy efficient switching. We have fabricated and studied OST-MRAM devices that incorporate a perpendicularl...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied physics letters 2010-12, Vol.97 (24), p.242510-242510-3
Main Authors: Liu, H., Bedau, D., Backes, D., Katine, J. A., Langer, J., Kent, A. D.
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Orthogonal spin-transfer magnetic random access memory (OST-MRAM) uses a spin-polarizing layer magnetized perpendicularly to a free layer to achieve large spin-transfer torques and ultrafast energy efficient switching. We have fabricated and studied OST-MRAM devices that incorporate a perpendicularly magnetized spin-polarizing layer and a magnetic tunnel junction, which consists of an in-plane magnetized free layer and synthetic antiferromagnetic reference layer. Reliable switching is observed at room temperature with 0.7 V amplitude pulses of 500 ps duration. The switching is bipolar, occurring for positive and negative polarity pulses, consistent with a precessional reversal mechanism, and requires an energy of less than 450 fJ.
ISSN:0003-6951
1077-3118
DOI:10.1063/1.3527962