Adjustable current-induced magnetization switching utilizing interlayer exchange coupling

Sheng, Yu, Edmonds, Kevin, Ma, Xingqiao, Zheng, Houzhi and Wang, Kaiyou (2018) Adjustable current-induced magnetization switching utilizing interlayer exchange coupling. Advanced Electronic Materials, 4 (9). p. 1800224. ISSN 2199-160X

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Abstract

Electrical current-induced deterministic magnetization switching in a magnetic multilayer structure without external magnetic field is realized by utilizing interlayer exchange coupling. Two ferromagnetic Co layers, with in-plane and out-of-plane anisotropy respectively, are separated by a spacer Ta layer, which plays a dual role of inducing antiferromagnetic interlayer coupling, and contributing to the current-induced effective magnetic field through the spin Hall effect. The current-induced magnetization switching behavior can be tuned by pre-magnetizing the in-plane Co layer. The antiferromagnetic exchange coupling field increases with decreasing thickness of the Ta layer, reaching 630 ±5 Oe for a Ta thickness of 1.5nm. The magnitude of the current-induced perpendicular effective magnetic field from spin-orbit torque is 9.2 Oe/(107Acm-2). The large spin Hall angle of Ta, opposite in sign to that of Pt, results in a low critical current density of 9×106A/cm2. This approach is promising for the electrical switching of magnetic memory elements without external magnetic field.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: This is the peer reviewed version of the article, which has been published in final form at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/aelm.201800224. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions.
Schools/Departments: University of Nottingham, UK > Faculty of Science > School of Physics and Astronomy
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1002/aelm.201800224
Depositing User: Lashkova, Mrs Olga
Date Deposited: 18 Sep 2018 09:25
Last Modified: 28 Jun 2019 04:30
URI: https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/55024

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