A three-terminal approach to developing spin-torque written magnetic random access memory cells

IEEE Transactions on Nanotechnology

Volumn 8, Issue 2, 2009, Pages 190-195

  Braganca, Patrick M ^a,b   Katine, Jordan A ^b   Emley, Nathan C ^a,c   Mauri, Daniele ^b,d   Childress, Jeffrey R ^b   Rice, Philip M ^e   Delenia, Eugene ^e   Ralph, Daniel C ^a   Buhrman, Robert A ^a  

^a Cornell University   (United States)

^b SAN JOSE RESEARCH CENTER   (United States)

^c UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA   (United States)

^d WESTERN DIGITAL CORPORATION   (United States)

^e IBM ALMADEN RESEARCH CENTER   (United States)

Author keywords

Magnetic memories; Magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs); Nanofabrication; Spin torque (ST)

Indexed keywords

DATA STORAGE EQUIPMENT; ELECTRON BEAMS; MAGNETIC DEVICES; MAGNETIC MATERIALS; MAGNETIC STORAGE; MAGNETISM; RANDOM ACCESS STORAGE; SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS; SETTLING TANKS; SPIN DYNAMICS; TORQUE; TUNNELS; WAVEGUIDE JUNCTIONS;

DEVICE RELIABILITIES; ELECTRICAL BIAS; FABRICATION PROCESS; FREE LAYERS; JUNCTION STRUCTURES; LOW RESISTANCES; MAGNETIC MEMORIES; MAGNETIC ORIENTATIONS; MAGNETIC RANDOM ACCESS MEMORIES; MAGNETIC RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY CELLS; MAGNETIC SPINS; MAGNETIC STATE; MAGNETIC TUNNEL JUNCTIONS (MTJS); MULTI-LAYER STACKS; NANOFABRICATION; NANOMAGNET; NANOPILLAR STRUCTURES; NON-UNIFORM; SELF-ALIGNED; SPIN INJECTIONS; SPIN TORQUE (ST); SPIN-POLARIZED CURRENTS; THIN-FILM; THIRD ELECTRODES;

TUNNEL JUNCTIONS;

EID: 62449267288     PISSN: 1536125X     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1109/TNANO.2008.2005187     Document Type: Article

References (19)

1. M. Durlam, D. Addie, J. Akerman, B. Butcher, P. Brown, J. Chan, M. DeHerrera, B. N. Engel, B. Feil, G. Grynkewich, J. Janesky, M. Johnson, K. Kyler, J. Molla, J. Martin, K. Nagel, J. Ren, N. D. Rizzo, T. Rodriguez, L. Savtchenko, J. Salter, J. M. Slaughter, K. Smith, J. J. Sun, M. Lien, K. Papworth, P. Shah, W. Qin, R. Williams, L. Wise, and S. Tehrani, "A 0.18 μm 4 Mb toggling MRAM," IEEE IEDM, pp. 995-997, Dec. 2003.
2. J. A. Katine and E. E. Fullerton, "Device implications of spin-transfer torques." J. Magn. Magn. Mater., vol. 320, pp. 1217-1226, Apr. 2008.
3. F. J. Albert, J. A. Katine, R. A. Buhrman, and D. C. Ralph, "Spin-polarized current switching of a Co thin film nanomagnet," Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 77, pp. 3809-3811, Dec. 2000.
4. M. Hosomi, H. Yamagishi, T. Yamamoto, K. Bessho, Y. Higo, K. Yamane, H. Yamada, M. Shoji, H. Hachino, C. Fukumoto, H. Nagao, and H. Kano, "A novel nonvolatile memory with spin torque transfer magnetization switching: Spin-ram," lEDM Techn. Dig., pp. 459-462, Dec. 2005.
5. T. Kawahara, R. Takemura, K. Miura, J. Hayakawa, S. Ikeda, Y. Lee, R. Sasaki, Y. Goto, K. Ito, I. Meguro, F. Matsukura. H. Takahashi. H. Matsuoka, and H. Ohno, "2 Mb spin-transfer torque RAM (SPRAM) with bit-by-bit bidirectional current write and parallelizing-direction current read," ISSCC Dig., pp. 480-481, 2007.
6. L. Berger, "Emission of spin waves by a magnetic multilayer traversed by a current," Phys. Rev. B, vol. 54, pp. 9353-9358, Oct. 1996.
7. J. C. Slonczewski. "Current-driven excitation of magnetic multilayers," J. Magn. Magn. Mater., vol. 159, pp. L1-L7, Jun. 1996.
8. M. Tsoi, A. G. Jansen, J. Bass, W.-C. Chiang, M. Seek, V. Tsoi, and P. Wyder, "Excitation of a magnetic multilayer by an electric current," Phys. Rev. Lett., vol. 80, pp. 4281-4284, May 1998.
9. J. A. Katine, F. J. Albert, R. A. Buhrman, E. B. Myers, and D. C. Ralph, "Current-driven magnetization reversal and spin-wave excitations in Co/Cu/Copillars," Phys. Rev. Lett., vol. 84, pp. 3149-3152, Apr. 2000.
10. P. M. Braganca, I. N. Krivorotov, O. Ozatay, A. G. F. Garcia, N. C. Emley, J. C. Sankey, D. C. Ralph, and R. A. Buhrman, "Reducing the critical current for short-pulse spin-transfer switching of nanomagnets," Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 87, pp. 112507-112509, Sep. 2005.
11. P. M. Braganca, O. Ozatay, A. G. F. Garcia, O. J. Lee, D. C. Ralph, and R. A. Buhrman, "Enhancement in spin-torque efficiency by nonuniform spin current generated within a tapered nanopillar spin valve," Phys. Rev. B, vol. 77, pp. 144423-1-144423-6, Apr. 2008.
12. J. R. Childress, M. J. Carey, M.-C. Cyrille, K. Carey, N. Smith, J. A. Katine, T. D. Boone, A. A. G. Driskill-Smith, S. Maat, K. Mackay, and C. H. Tsang, "Fabrication and recording study of all-metal dual-spin-valve CPP read heads," IEEE Trans. Magn., vol. 42, no. 10, pp. 2444-2446, Oct. 2006.
13. M. J. Donohue and D. G. Porter, OOMMF Users Guide, Version 1.0, Technical Report No. NISTIR 6376, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, 1999.
14. L. Berger, "Exchange interaction between ferromagnetic domain-wall and electric-current in very thin metallic-films," J. Appl. Phys., vol. 55, pp. 1954-1956, Mar. 1984.
15. P. P. Freitas and L. Berger, "Observation of s-d exchange force between domain-walls and electric-current in very thin permalloy-films," J. Appl. Phys., vol. 57, pp. 1266-1269, Feb. 1985.
16. C. Y. Hung and L. Berger, "Exchange forces between domain-wall and electric-current in permalloy-films of variable thickness," J. Appl. Phys., vol. 63, pp. 4276-4278, Apr. 1988.
17. M. Hayashi, L. Thomas, Y. B. Bazaliy, C. Rettner, R. Moriya, X. Jiang, and S. S. P. Parkin, "Influence of current on field-driven domain wall motion in permalloy nanowires from time resolved measurements of anisotropic magnetoresistance," Phys. Rev. Lett., vol. 96, pp. 197207-1-197207-4, May 2006.
18. Z. Li and S. Zhang, "Domain-wall dynamics and spin-wave excitations widi spin-transfer torques," Phys. Rev. Lett., vol. 92, pp. 207203-1- 207203-4, May 2004.
19. Z. Li and S. Zhang, "Domain-wall dynamics driven by adiabatic spin-transfer torques," Phys. Rev. B, vol. 70, pp. 024417-1-024417-10, Jul. 2004.