Work

A four-state magnetic tunnel junction switchable with spin–orbit torques

Year: 2020

Type: article

Abstract: We present a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) where its two ferromagnetic layers are in the form of a single ellipse (SE) and two-crossing ellipses (TCEs). The MTJ exhibits four distinct resistance states corresponding to the four remanent states of the TCE structure. Flowing current in an underlying Ta layer generates in the adjacent TCE structure spin–orbit torques, which induce field-free switching of the four-state MTJ between all its resistance states. The demonstrated four-state MTJ is an important step toward fabricating multi-level MTJs with numerous resistance states, which could be important in various spintronics applications, such as multi-level magnetic random access or neuromorphic memory.

Source: Applied Physics Letters

DOI: 10.1063/5.0014771

Authors: Shubhankar Das, Ariel Zaig, Moty Schultz, Susana Cardoso, Diana C. Leitao, Lior Klein

Institutions: Bar-Ilan University, University of Lisbon, Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores Microsistemas e Nanotecnologias, Instituto Superior Técnico

Language: English

Topic: Magnetic properties of thin films

Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funder: Israel Science Foundation

Award: G1382587554