Resonant Spin-Transfer-Driven Switching of Magnetic Devices Assisted by Microwave Current Pulses

Abstract

The torque generated by the transfer of spin angular momentum from a spin-polarized current to a nanoscale ferromagnet can switch the orientation of the nanomagnet much more efficiently than a current-generated magnetic field, and is therefore in development for use in next-generation magnetic random access memory (MRAM). Up to now, only DC currents and square-wave current pulses have been investigated in spin-torque switching experiments. Here we present measurements showing that spin transfer from a microwave-frequency pulse can produce a resonant excitation of a nanomagnet and lead to improved switching characteristics in combination with a square current pulse. With the assistance of a microwave-frequency pulse, the switching time is reduced and achieves a narrower distribution than when driven by a square current pulse alone, and this can permit significant reductions in the integrated power required for switching. Resonantly excited switching may also enable alternative, more compact MRAM circuit architectures.

26 pages, 6 figures

References in corpus (8)

• Current-driven Magnetization Reversal and Spin Wave Excitations in Co/Cu/Co Pillars
• Spin-transfer-driven ferromagnetic resonance of individual nanomagnets
• Temperature dependence of spin-transfer-induced switching of nanomagnets
• Time-Domain Studies of Very-Large-Angle Magnetization Dynamics Excited by Spin Transfer Torques
• Distribution of the magnetization reversal duration in sub-ns spin-transfer switching
• Spin transfer switching of spin valve nanopillars using nanosecond pulsed currents
• Sub-ns spin-transfer switching: compared benefits of free layer biasing and pinned layer biasing
• Switching spin valves using r.f. currents

Cited by in corpus (17)

• Micromagnetic understanding of stochastic resonance driven by spin-transfertorque
• Spin-transfer-torque resonant switching and injection locking in presence of a weak external microwave field for spin valves with perpendicular materials
• Coherent control of nanomagnet dynamics via ultrafast spin torque pulses
• Magnetization switching by current and microwaves
• Current-induced synchronized switching of magnetization
• Coherent switching by detuning a side-coupled quantum-dot system
• Micromagnetic study of electrical-field-assisted magnetization switching in MTJ devices
• Optimization of the current pulse for spin-torque switches
• Resonant state selection in synthetic ferrimagnets
• Large angle precession of magnetization maintained by a microwave voltage
• Parameter dependence of resonant spin torque magnetization reversal
• Swing switching of spin-torque valves
• Spin-torque switching and control using chirped oscillating currents
• Optimization of spin-torque switching using AC and DC pulses
• Parametric instability of a magnetic junction under modulated spin-polarized current
• Voltage Controlled Magnetic Anisotropy Based Low Energy Switching of a Ferromagnet on a Topological Insulator
• Spin-transfer torque effects in the dynamic forced response of the magnetization of nanoscale ferromagnets in superimposed ac and dc bias fields in the presence of thermal agitation