Current-induced switching in low resistance magnetic tunnel junctions

被引:30
作者
Liu, YW
Zhang, ZZ
Wang, JG
Freitas, PP
Martins, JL
机构
[1] INESC Microsyst & Nanotechnol, P-1000 Lisbon, Portugal
[2] Univ Tecn Lisboa, Dept Phys, Inst Super Tecn, P-1000 Lisbon, Portugal
关键词
D O I
10.1063/1.1543868
中图分类号
O59 [应用物理学];
学科分类号
摘要
Current-induced magnetization switching (CIMS) in low resistance tunnel junctions is reported at critical current densities of 1.9x10(6) A/cm(2) for tunnel junction areas ranging from 2 to 3 mum(2), and junction resistances from 6 to 20 Omega mum(2). Typical tunnel magnetic resistance values for these junctions range from 15% to 21% (measured in an external magnetic field) and 10% to 14% resistance changes are obtained by CIMS. Micromagnetic simulation indicates that vortex fields and spin transfer effects cannot fully account for the observed current-induced switching. Although able to explain the observed transition from a parallel or antiparallel state to a vortex state, it fails to explain the switch back to the original state, at a comparable but symmetrical critical current density. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.
引用
收藏
页码:8385 / 8387
页数:3
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