Nanosecond magnetization dynamics during spin Hall switching of in-plane magnetic tunnel junctions

We present a study of the magnetic dynamics associated with nanosecond scale magnetic switching driven by the spin Hall effect in 3-terminal nanoscale magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with in-plane magnetization. Utilizing fast pulse measurements in a variety of material stacks and detailed micromag...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied physics letters 2017-03, Vol.110 (12)
Main Authors: Rowlands, G. E., Aradhya, S. V., Shi, S., Yandel, E. H., Oh, J., Ralph, D. C., Buhrman, R. A.
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:We present a study of the magnetic dynamics associated with nanosecond scale magnetic switching driven by the spin Hall effect in 3-terminal nanoscale magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with in-plane magnetization. Utilizing fast pulse measurements in a variety of material stacks and detailed micromagnetic simulations, we demonstrate that this unexpectedly fast and reliable magnetic reversal is facilitated by the self-generated Oersted field, and that the short-pulse energy efficiency can be substantially enhanced by spatial non-uniformity in the initial magnetization of the magnetic free layer. The sign of the Oersted field is essential for this enhancement—in simulations in which we artificially impose a field-like torque with a sign opposite to the effect of the Oersted field, the result is a much slower and stochastic switching process that is reminiscent of the so-called incubation delay in conventional 2-terminal spin-torque-switched MTJs.
ISSN:0003-6951
1077-3118
DOI:10.1063/1.4978661