Spin-orbit torque magnetization switching of a three-terminal perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction

Journal Article · Mon Jan 27 00:00:00 EST 2014 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4863407· OSTI ID:22280535

Cubukcu, Murat; Boulle, Olivier; Drouard, Marc; Mihai Miron, Ioan; Gaudin, Gilles ^[1]; Garello, Kevin; Onur Avci, Can; Gambardella, Pietro ^[2]; Langer, Juergen; Ocker, Berthold ^[3]

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1. SPINTEC, UMR 8191, CEA/CNRS/UJF/GINP, INAC, F-38054 Grenoble (France)
2. Department of Materials, ETH Zurich, Hönggerbergring 64, CH-8093 Zürich (Switzerland)
3. Singulus Technologies, Hanauer Landstr, 103, 63796 Kahl am Main (Germany)

We report on the current-induced magnetization switching of a three-terminal perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction by spin-orbit torque and its read-out using the tunnelling magnetoresistance (TMR) effect. The device is composed of a perpendicular Ta/FeCoB/MgO/FeCoB stack on top of a Ta current line. The magnetization of the bottom FeCoB layer can be switched reproducibly by the injection of current pulses with density 5 × 10{sup 11} A/m{sup 2} in the Ta layer in the presence of an in-plane bias magnetic field, leading to the full-scale change of the TMR signal. Our work demonstrates the proof of concept of a perpendicular spin-orbit torque magnetic memory cell.

• OSTI ID: 22280535
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 104, Issue 4; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
COBALT BORIDES
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
HETEROJUNCTIONS
INTERFACES
IRON COMPOUNDS
LAYERS
L-S COUPLING
MAGNESIUM OXIDES
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIZATION
MAGNETORESISTANCE
TANTALUM
TORQUE
TUNNEL EFFECT