Acoustically assisted spin-transfer-torque switching of nanomagnets: An energy-efficient hybrid writing scheme for non-volatile memory

Journal Article · Mon Dec 02 00:00:00 EST 2013 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4838661· OSTI ID:22253923

Biswas, Ayan K.; Bandyopadhyay, Supriyo ^[1]; Atulasimha, Jayasimha ^[2]

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1. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23284 (United States)
2. Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23284 (United States)

We show that the energy dissipated to write bits in spin-transfer-torque random access memory can be reduced by an order of magnitude if a surface acoustic wave (SAW) is launched underneath the magneto-tunneling junctions (MTJs) storing the bits. The SAW-generated strain rotates the magnetization of every MTJs' soft magnet from the easy towards the hard axis, whereupon passage of a small spin-polarized current through a target MTJ selectively switches it to the desired state with > 99.99% probability at room temperature, thereby writing the bit. The other MTJs return to their original states at the completion of the SAW cycle.

• OSTI ID: 22253923
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 103, Issue 23; Other Information: (c) 2013 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
CURRENTS
ELECTRIC CONTACTS
HYBRIDIZATION
MAGNETS
SOUND WAVES
SPIN
SPIN ORIENTATION
SUPERCONDUCTING JUNCTIONS
SWITCHES
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0273-0400 K
TORQUE
TUNNEL EFFECT
VOLATILITY