Switching current reduction using perpendicular anisotropy in CoFeB-MgO magnetic tunnel junctions

P. Khalili Amiri; Z. M. Zeng; J. Langer; H. Zhao; G. Rowlands; Y. J. Chen; I. N. Krivorotov; J. P. Wang; H. W. Jiang; J. A. Katine; Y. Huai; K. Galatsis; K. L. Wang

doi:10.1063/1.3567780

Switching current reduction using perpendicular anisotropy in CoFeB-MgO magnetic tunnel junctions

P. Khalili Amiri, Z. M. Zeng, J. Langer, H. Zhao, G. Rowlands, Y. J. Chen, I. N. Krivorotov, J. P. Wang, H. W. Jiang, J. A. Katine, Y. Huai, K. Galatsis, K. L. Wang

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

170 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present in-plane CoFeB-MgO magnetic tunnel junctions with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in the free layer to reduce the spin transfer induced switching current. The tunneling magnetoresistance ratio, resistance-area product, and switching current densities are compared in magnetic tunnel junctions with different CoFeB compositions. The effects of CoFeB free layer thickness on its magnetic anisotropy and current-induced switching characteristics are studied by vibrating sample magnetometry and electrical transport measurements on patterned elliptical nanopillar devices. Switching current densities ∼4 MA/ cm² are obtained at 10 ns write times.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	112507
Journal	Applied Physics Letters
Volume	98
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3567780
State	Published - Mar 14 2011

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank T. Rahman, J. G. Alzate, P. Upadhyaya, M. Lewis, and J. Wrona. This work was supported by the DARPA STT-RAM (HR0011-09-C-0114) program, and by the Nanoelectronics Research Initiative through the Western Institute of Nanoelectronics.

Access

10.1063/1.3567780

OpenUrl availability

Full text

Cite this

@article{093b698aa3ef4d79bf86ee98c9cf66ac,

title = "Switching current reduction using perpendicular anisotropy in CoFeB-MgO magnetic tunnel junctions",

abstract = "We present in-plane CoFeB-MgO magnetic tunnel junctions with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in the free layer to reduce the spin transfer induced switching current. The tunneling magnetoresistance ratio, resistance-area product, and switching current densities are compared in magnetic tunnel junctions with different CoFeB compositions. The effects of CoFeB free layer thickness on its magnetic anisotropy and current-induced switching characteristics are studied by vibrating sample magnetometry and electrical transport measurements on patterned elliptical nanopillar devices. Switching current densities ∼4 MA/ cm2 are obtained at 10 ns write times.",

author = "{Khalili Amiri}, P. and Zeng, {Z. M.} and J. Langer and H. Zhao and G. Rowlands and Chen, {Y. J.} and Krivorotov, {I. N.} and Wang, {J. P.} and Jiang, {H. W.} and Katine, {J. A.} and Y. Huai and K. Galatsis and Wang, {K. L.}",

note = "Funding Information: The authors would like to thank T. Rahman, J. G. Alzate, P. Upadhyaya, M. Lewis, and J. Wrona. This work was supported by the DARPA STT-RAM (HR0011-09-C-0114) program, and by the Nanoelectronics Research Initiative through the Western Institute of Nanoelectronics. ",

year = "2011",

month = mar,

day = "14",

doi = "10.1063/1.3567780",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "98",

journal = "Applied Physics Letters",

issn = "0003-6951",

publisher = "American Institute of Physics Publising LLC",

number = "11",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Switching current reduction using perpendicular anisotropy in CoFeB-MgO magnetic tunnel junctions

AU - Khalili Amiri, P.

AU - Zeng, Z. M.

AU - Langer, J.

AU - Zhao, H.

AU - Rowlands, G.

AU - Chen, Y. J.

AU - Krivorotov, I. N.

AU - Wang, J. P.

AU - Jiang, H. W.

AU - Katine, J. A.

AU - Huai, Y.

AU - Galatsis, K.

AU - Wang, K. L.

N1 - Funding Information: The authors would like to thank T. Rahman, J. G. Alzate, P. Upadhyaya, M. Lewis, and J. Wrona. This work was supported by the DARPA STT-RAM (HR0011-09-C-0114) program, and by the Nanoelectronics Research Initiative through the Western Institute of Nanoelectronics.

PY - 2011/3/14

Y1 - 2011/3/14

N2 - We present in-plane CoFeB-MgO magnetic tunnel junctions with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in the free layer to reduce the spin transfer induced switching current. The tunneling magnetoresistance ratio, resistance-area product, and switching current densities are compared in magnetic tunnel junctions with different CoFeB compositions. The effects of CoFeB free layer thickness on its magnetic anisotropy and current-induced switching characteristics are studied by vibrating sample magnetometry and electrical transport measurements on patterned elliptical nanopillar devices. Switching current densities ∼4 MA/ cm2 are obtained at 10 ns write times.

AB - We present in-plane CoFeB-MgO magnetic tunnel junctions with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in the free layer to reduce the spin transfer induced switching current. The tunneling magnetoresistance ratio, resistance-area product, and switching current densities are compared in magnetic tunnel junctions with different CoFeB compositions. The effects of CoFeB free layer thickness on its magnetic anisotropy and current-induced switching characteristics are studied by vibrating sample magnetometry and electrical transport measurements on patterned elliptical nanopillar devices. Switching current densities ∼4 MA/ cm2 are obtained at 10 ns write times.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79952946363&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=79952946363&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1063/1.3567780

DO - 10.1063/1.3567780

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:79952946363

SN - 0003-6951

VL - 98

JO - Applied Physics Letters

JF - Applied Physics Letters

IS - 11

M1 - 112507

ER -

Switching current reduction using perpendicular anisotropy in CoFeB-MgO magnetic tunnel junctions

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Access

OpenUrl availability

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this