Spin-transfer torque switching above ambient temperature

Hui Zhao; Pedram Khalili Amiri; Yisong Zhang; Andrew Lyle; Jordan A. Katine; Juergen Langer; Hongwen Jiang; Kang L. Wang; Ilya N. Krivorotov; Jian Ping Wang

doi:10.1109/LMAG.2012.2195775

Spin-transfer torque switching above ambient temperature

Hui Zhao, Pedram Khalili Amiri, Yisong Zhang, Andrew Lyle, Jordan A. Katine, Juergen Langer, Hongwen Jiang, Kang L. Wang, Ilya N. Krivorotov, Jian Ping Wang

Electrical and Computer Engineering

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

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report the temperature dependences of tunneling magnetoresistance ratio, coercivity, thermal stability, and switching current distribution of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) in the temperature range 25-80°C, the most probable working environment for spin-transfer torque random access memory (STT-RAM). Two distinct temperature dependence of the switching current density are apparent due to two switching mechanisms: a switching current density decrease with increasing temperature in the long-pulse (>1 μs) regime, a result of thermally activated switching, but no decrease in the short-pulse (< 10 ns) regime, as a result of precessional switching. In the temperature range studied, the switching current density variation is less sensitive to environmental temperature than it is to switching time. Thus, switching time is the more important factor to consider in STT-RAM design.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	6204220
Journal	IEEE Magnetics Letters
Volume	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/LMAG.2012.2195775
State	Published - 2012

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported in part by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Academy Spin Torque Transfer-Random Access Memory Program under Grant HR0011-09-C-0114 and the National Science Foundation Materials Research Science and Engineering Center Program, University of Minnesota, under Grant DMR-0819885. The work of H. Zhao and J.-P. Wang was supported by an Intel University Research Grant.

Keywords

Spin electronics
magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ)
spin-transfer torque random access memory (STT-RAM)
spin-transfer torque switching

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title = "Spin-transfer torque switching above ambient temperature",

abstract = "We report the temperature dependences of tunneling magnetoresistance ratio, coercivity, thermal stability, and switching current distribution of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) in the temperature range 25-80°C, the most probable working environment for spin-transfer torque random access memory (STT-RAM). Two distinct temperature dependence of the switching current density are apparent due to two switching mechanisms: a switching current density decrease with increasing temperature in the long-pulse (>1 μs) regime, a result of thermally activated switching, but no decrease in the short-pulse (< 10 ns) regime, as a result of precessional switching. In the temperature range studied, the switching current density variation is less sensitive to environmental temperature than it is to switching time. Thus, switching time is the more important factor to consider in STT-RAM design.",

keywords = "Spin electronics, magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ), spin-transfer torque random access memory (STT-RAM), spin-transfer torque switching",

author = "Hui Zhao and Amiri, {Pedram Khalili} and Yisong Zhang and Andrew Lyle and Katine, {Jordan A.} and Juergen Langer and Hongwen Jiang and Wang, {Kang L.} and Krivorotov, {Ilya N.} and Wang, {Jian Ping}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported in part by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Academy Spin Torque Transfer-Random Access Memory Program under Grant HR0011-09-C-0114 and the National Science Foundation Materials Research Science and Engineering Center Program, University of Minnesota, under Grant DMR-0819885. The work of H. Zhao and J.-P. Wang was supported by an Intel University Research Grant.",

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doi = "10.1109/LMAG.2012.2195775",

language = "English (US)",

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journal = "IEEE Magnetics Letters",

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AU - Zhao, Hui

AU - Amiri, Pedram Khalili

AU - Zhang, Yisong

AU - Lyle, Andrew

AU - Katine, Jordan A.

AU - Langer, Juergen

AU - Jiang, Hongwen

AU - Wang, Kang L.

AU - Krivorotov, Ilya N.

AU - Wang, Jian Ping

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported in part by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Academy Spin Torque Transfer-Random Access Memory Program under Grant HR0011-09-C-0114 and the National Science Foundation Materials Research Science and Engineering Center Program, University of Minnesota, under Grant DMR-0819885. The work of H. Zhao and J.-P. Wang was supported by an Intel University Research Grant.

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - We report the temperature dependences of tunneling magnetoresistance ratio, coercivity, thermal stability, and switching current distribution of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) in the temperature range 25-80°C, the most probable working environment for spin-transfer torque random access memory (STT-RAM). Two distinct temperature dependence of the switching current density are apparent due to two switching mechanisms: a switching current density decrease with increasing temperature in the long-pulse (>1 μs) regime, a result of thermally activated switching, but no decrease in the short-pulse (< 10 ns) regime, as a result of precessional switching. In the temperature range studied, the switching current density variation is less sensitive to environmental temperature than it is to switching time. Thus, switching time is the more important factor to consider in STT-RAM design.

AB - We report the temperature dependences of tunneling magnetoresistance ratio, coercivity, thermal stability, and switching current distribution of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) in the temperature range 25-80°C, the most probable working environment for spin-transfer torque random access memory (STT-RAM). Two distinct temperature dependence of the switching current density are apparent due to two switching mechanisms: a switching current density decrease with increasing temperature in the long-pulse (>1 μs) regime, a result of thermally activated switching, but no decrease in the short-pulse (< 10 ns) regime, as a result of precessional switching. In the temperature range studied, the switching current density variation is less sensitive to environmental temperature than it is to switching time. Thus, switching time is the more important factor to consider in STT-RAM design.

KW - Spin electronics

KW - magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ)

KW - spin-transfer torque random access memory (STT-RAM)

KW - spin-transfer torque switching

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ER -

Spin-transfer torque switching above ambient temperature

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