Electric-Field-Controlled MRAM: Physics and Applications
169
that need to be addressed immediately, viz (i) the high BER and (ii) the need for
an in-plane magnetic field. The various schemes introduced in this chapter show
how this two issues can be overcome in some scenarios but more work is needed to
show it can truly replace existing STT-MRAM. Materials development is going to
be an essential pursuit in this direction. Particularly, first principle calculations have
shown a wealth of materials dependence and can potentially discover even higher
EF efficiencies in unexplored material systems.
References
1. D. Apalkov, B. Dieny, J. Slaughter, Magnetoresistive random access memory. Proc. IEEE 104,
1796–1830 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1109/JPROC.2016.2590142
2. L. Berger, Emission of spin waves by a magnetic multilayer traversed by a current. Phys. Rev.
B 54, 9353–9358 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.54.9353
3. A. Brataas, A.D. Kent, H. Ohno, Current-induced torques in magnetic materials. Nat. Mater.
11, 372–381 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat3311
4. C. Chappert, A. Fert, D.F.N. Van, The emergence of spin electronics in data storage. Nat. Mater.
6, 813–823 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat2024
5. Z. Diao, M. Pakala, A. Panchula et al., Spin-transfer switching in MgO-based magnetic tunnel
junctions (invited). J. Appl. Phys. 99, 08G510 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2165169
6. J.C. Slonczewski, Current-driven excitation of magnetic multilayers. J. Magn. Magn. Mater.
159, L1–L7 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-8853(96)00062-5
7. Z. Diao, D. Apalkov, M. Pakala et al., Spin transfer switching and spin polarization in magnetic
tunnel junctions with MgO and AlO x barriers. Appl. Phys. Lett. 87, 232502 (2005). https://
doi.org/10.1063/1.2139849
8. J. Hayakawa, S. Ikeda, Y.M. Lee et al., Current-driven magnetization switching in CoFeB/MgO/
CoFeB magnetic tunnel junctions. Jpn J. Appl. Phys. 44, L1267 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1143/
JJAP.44.L1267
9. H. Kubota, A. Fukushima, Y. Ootani et al., Evaluation of spin-transfer switching in
CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB magnetic tunnel junctions. Jpn J. Appl. Phys. 44, L1237–L1240
(2005). https://doi.org/10.1143/JJAP.44.L1237
10. S. Ikeda, K. Miura, H. Yamamoto et al., A perpendicular-anisotropy CoFeB—MgO magnetic
tunnel junction. Nat. Mater. 9, 721–724 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat2804
11. S. Mangin, D. Ravelosona, J. Katine, a, et al., Current-induced magnetization reversal in
nanopillars with perpendicular anisotropy. Nat. Mater. 5, 210–215 (2006). https://doi.org/10.
1038/nmat1595
12. H. Meng, J. Wang, Spin transfer in nanomagnetic devices with perpendicular anisotropy. Appl.
Phys. Lett. 88, 172506 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2198797
13. J.Z. Sun, S.L. Brown, W. Chen et al., Spin-torque switching efficiency in CoFeB-MgO based
tunnel junctions. Phys. Rev. B 88, 104426 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.88.
104426
14. D.C. Worledge, G. Hu, D.W. Abraham et al., Spin torque switching of perpendicular Ta |
CoFeB | MgO -based magnetic tunnel junctions. Appl. Phys. Lett. 98, 022501 (2011). https://
doi.org/10.1063/1.3536482
15. H. Liu, D. Bedau, D. Backes et al., Ultrafast switching in magnetic tunnel junction based
orthogonal spin transfer devices. Appl. Phys. Lett. 97, 242510 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1063/
1.3527962
16. J. Lourembam, B. Chen, A. Huang et al., (2018a) A non-collinear double MgO based perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction. Appl. Phys. Lett. 113, 022403 (2018). https://doi.org/10.
1063/1.5038060
169
that need to be addressed immediately, viz (i) the high BER and (ii) the need for
an in-plane magnetic field. The various schemes introduced in this chapter show
how this two issues can be overcome in some scenarios but more work is needed to
show it can truly replace existing STT-MRAM. Materials development is going to
be an essential pursuit in this direction. Particularly, first principle calculations have
shown a wealth of materials dependence and can potentially discover even higher
EF efficiencies in unexplored material systems.
References
1. D. Apalkov, B. Dieny, J. Slaughter, Magnetoresistive random access memory. Proc. IEEE 104,
1796–1830 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1109/JPROC.2016.2590142
2. L. Berger, Emission of spin waves by a magnetic multilayer traversed by a current. Phys. Rev.
B 54, 9353–9358 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.54.9353
3. A. Brataas, A.D. Kent, H. Ohno, Current-induced torques in magnetic materials. Nat. Mater.
11, 372–381 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat3311
4. C. Chappert, A. Fert, D.F.N. Van, The emergence of spin electronics in data storage. Nat. Mater.
6, 813–823 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat2024
5. Z. Diao, M. Pakala, A. Panchula et al., Spin-transfer switching in MgO-based magnetic tunnel
junctions (invited). J. Appl. Phys. 99, 08G510 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2165169
6. J.C. Slonczewski, Current-driven excitation of magnetic multilayers. J. Magn. Magn. Mater.
159, L1–L7 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-8853(96)00062-5
7. Z. Diao, D. Apalkov, M. Pakala et al., Spin transfer switching and spin polarization in magnetic
tunnel junctions with MgO and AlO x barriers. Appl. Phys. Lett. 87, 232502 (2005). https://
doi.org/10.1063/1.2139849
8. J. Hayakawa, S. Ikeda, Y.M. Lee et al., Current-driven magnetization switching in CoFeB/MgO/
CoFeB magnetic tunnel junctions. Jpn J. Appl. Phys. 44, L1267 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1143/
JJAP.44.L1267
9. H. Kubota, A. Fukushima, Y. Ootani et al., Evaluation of spin-transfer switching in
CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB magnetic tunnel junctions. Jpn J. Appl. Phys. 44, L1237–L1240
(2005). https://doi.org/10.1143/JJAP.44.L1237
10. S. Ikeda, K. Miura, H. Yamamoto et al., A perpendicular-anisotropy CoFeB—MgO magnetic
tunnel junction. Nat. Mater. 9, 721–724 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat2804
11. S. Mangin, D. Ravelosona, J. Katine, a, et al., Current-induced magnetization reversal in
nanopillars with perpendicular anisotropy. Nat. Mater. 5, 210–215 (2006). https://doi.org/10.
1038/nmat1595
12. H. Meng, J. Wang, Spin transfer in nanomagnetic devices with perpendicular anisotropy. Appl.
Phys. Lett. 88, 172506 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2198797
13. J.Z. Sun, S.L. Brown, W. Chen et al., Spin-torque switching efficiency in CoFeB-MgO based
tunnel junctions. Phys. Rev. B 88, 104426 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.88.
104426
14. D.C. Worledge, G. Hu, D.W. Abraham et al., Spin torque switching of perpendicular Ta |
CoFeB | MgO -based magnetic tunnel junctions. Appl. Phys. Lett. 98, 022501 (2011). https://
doi.org/10.1063/1.3536482
15. H. Liu, D. Bedau, D. Backes et al., Ultrafast switching in magnetic tunnel junction based
orthogonal spin transfer devices. Appl. Phys. Lett. 97, 242510 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1063/
1.3527962
16. J. Lourembam, B. Chen, A. Huang et al., (2018a) A non-collinear double MgO based perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction. Appl. Phys. Lett. 113, 022403 (2018). https://doi.org/10.
1063/1.5038060