Reduction of switching current density in perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions by tuning the anisotropy of the CoFeB free layer

M. T. Rahman; A. Lyle; P. Khalili Amiri; J. Harms; B. Glass; H. Zhao; G. Rowlands; J. A. Katine; J. Langer; I. N. Krivorotov; K. L. Wang; J. P. Wang

doi:10.1063/1.3673834

Reduction of switching current density in perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions by tuning the anisotropy of the CoFeB free layer

M. T. Rahman^*, A. Lyle, P. Khalili Amiri, J. Harms, B. Glass, H. Zhao, G. Rowlands, J. A. Katine, J. Langer, I. N. Krivorotov, K. L. Wang, J. P. Wang

^*Corresponding author for this work

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

28 Scopus citations

Abstract

The spin torque switching behavior of perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions consisting of a CoFeB free layer and a CoFeB/Ru/(Co/Pd)n exchanged coupled fixed layer is investigated. At first, the Ru and CoFeB layer thickness is tuned in the CoFeB/Ru/(Co/Pd)n structure to form a ferromagnetically exchange coupled structure with a strong PMA at an annealing treatment of 325 C for 1 h. Then it is shown that that the CoFeB free layer thickness plays an important role in the switching current density. The switching current density decreases with the increase of the CoFeB free layer thickness. A minimum switching current density of 1.87 MA/cm ² is achieved for a device with 60 nm diameter. The mechanism involved in the switching current reduction with the decrease of CoFeB free layer thickness is also studied.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	07C907
Journal	Journal of Applied Physics
Volume	111
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3673834
State	Published - Apr 1 2012

Funding

The authors are grateful for the partial financial support from DARPA STT-RAM program and NSF Nano Fabrication Center at the University of Minnesota. Parts of this work were carried out in the Characterization Facility, University of Minnesota, a member of the NSF-funded Materials Research Facilities Network (www.mrfn.org) via the NSF MRSEC program under Award No. DMR-0819885.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Physics and Astronomy

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Rahman, M. T., Lyle, A., Khalili Amiri, P., Harms, J., Glass, B., Zhao, H., Rowlands, G., Katine, J. A., Langer, J., Krivorotov, I. N., Wang, K. L., & Wang, J. P. (2012). Reduction of switching current density in perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions by tuning the anisotropy of the CoFeB free layer. Journal of Applied Physics, 111(7), Article 07C907. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3673834

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title = "Reduction of switching current density in perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions by tuning the anisotropy of the CoFeB free layer",

abstract = "The spin torque switching behavior of perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions consisting of a CoFeB free layer and a CoFeB/Ru/(Co/Pd)n exchanged coupled fixed layer is investigated. At first, the Ru and CoFeB layer thickness is tuned in the CoFeB/Ru/(Co/Pd)n structure to form a ferromagnetically exchange coupled structure with a strong PMA at an annealing treatment of 325 C for 1 h. Then it is shown that that the CoFeB free layer thickness plays an important role in the switching current density. The switching current density decreases with the increase of the CoFeB free layer thickness. A minimum switching current density of 1.87 MA/cm 2 is achieved for a device with 60 nm diameter. The mechanism involved in the switching current reduction with the decrease of CoFeB free layer thickness is also studied.",

author = "Rahman, {M. T.} and A. Lyle and {Khalili Amiri}, P. and J. Harms and B. Glass and H. Zhao and G. Rowlands and Katine, {J. A.} and J. Langer and Krivorotov, {I. N.} and Wang, {K. L.} and Wang, {J. P.}",

note = "Funding Information: The authors are grateful for the partial financial support from DARPA STT-RAM program and NSF Nano Fabrication Center at the University of Minnesota. Parts of this work were carried out in the Characterization Facility, University of Minnesota, a member of the NSF-funded Materials Research Facilities Network (www.mrfn.org) via the NSF MRSEC program under Award No. DMR-0819885.",

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doi = "10.1063/1.3673834",

language = "English (US)",

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T1 - Reduction of switching current density in perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions by tuning the anisotropy of the CoFeB free layer

AU - Rahman, M. T.

AU - Lyle, A.

AU - Khalili Amiri, P.

AU - Harms, J.

AU - Glass, B.

AU - Zhao, H.

AU - Rowlands, G.

AU - Katine, J. A.

AU - Langer, J.

AU - Krivorotov, I. N.

AU - Wang, K. L.

AU - Wang, J. P.

N1 - Funding Information: The authors are grateful for the partial financial support from DARPA STT-RAM program and NSF Nano Fabrication Center at the University of Minnesota. Parts of this work were carried out in the Characterization Facility, University of Minnesota, a member of the NSF-funded Materials Research Facilities Network (www.mrfn.org) via the NSF MRSEC program under Award No. DMR-0819885.

PY - 2012/4/1

Y1 - 2012/4/1

N2 - The spin torque switching behavior of perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions consisting of a CoFeB free layer and a CoFeB/Ru/(Co/Pd)n exchanged coupled fixed layer is investigated. At first, the Ru and CoFeB layer thickness is tuned in the CoFeB/Ru/(Co/Pd)n structure to form a ferromagnetically exchange coupled structure with a strong PMA at an annealing treatment of 325 C for 1 h. Then it is shown that that the CoFeB free layer thickness plays an important role in the switching current density. The switching current density decreases with the increase of the CoFeB free layer thickness. A minimum switching current density of 1.87 MA/cm 2 is achieved for a device with 60 nm diameter. The mechanism involved in the switching current reduction with the decrease of CoFeB free layer thickness is also studied.

AB - The spin torque switching behavior of perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions consisting of a CoFeB free layer and a CoFeB/Ru/(Co/Pd)n exchanged coupled fixed layer is investigated. At first, the Ru and CoFeB layer thickness is tuned in the CoFeB/Ru/(Co/Pd)n structure to form a ferromagnetically exchange coupled structure with a strong PMA at an annealing treatment of 325 C for 1 h. Then it is shown that that the CoFeB free layer thickness plays an important role in the switching current density. The switching current density decreases with the increase of the CoFeB free layer thickness. A minimum switching current density of 1.87 MA/cm 2 is achieved for a device with 60 nm diameter. The mechanism involved in the switching current reduction with the decrease of CoFeB free layer thickness is also studied.

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Reduction of switching current density in perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions by tuning the anisotropy of the CoFeB free layer

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