Scanning Kerr microscopy of current induced switching in Ta/CoFeB/MgO films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy

Abstract

Ta/CoFeB/MgO trilayers with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy are expected to play a key role in the next generation of current and electric field switched memory and logic devices. In this study we use Kerr microscopy alongside electrical transport measurement to gain insight into the underlying switching mechanisms of such devices. We find switching to be a stochastic, domain wall driven process, the speed of which is strongly dependent on the switching current. Kerr imaging shows domain nucleation at the edge of the device which modelling reveals is likely assisted by the perpendicular component of the Oersted field. Further domain growth, leading to magnetisation reversal may be assisted by spin torques.

References in corpus (3)

• Spin-orbit torque engineering via oxygen manipulation
• Angular and temperature dependence of current induced spin-orbit effective fields in Ta/CoFeB/MgO nanowires
• Time-resolved investigation of magnetization dynamics of arrays of non-ellipsoidal nanomagnets with a non-uniform ground state

Cited by in corpus (7)

• Determination of the Spin-Hall-Effect-Induced and the Wedged-Structure-Induced Spin Torque Efficiencies in Heterostructures with Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy
• Ultra-fast perpendicular Spin Orbit Torque MRAM
• The current-induced spin-orbit torque and field-free switching from Mo-based magnetic heterostructures
• Domain Wall-Magnetic Tunnel Junction Spin Orbit Torque Devices and Circuits for In-Memory Computing
• Time resolved measurements of the switching trajectory of Pt/Co elements induced by spin-orbit torques
• Domain Wall Motion Driven by Laplace Pressure in CoFeB-MgO Nanodots with Perpendicular Anisotropy
• Advanced method for reliable estimation of the spin-orbit torque efficiency in low coercive ferromagnetic multilayers