Spin transfer in nanomagnetic devices with perpendicular anisotropy

TLDR

The study investigates spin‑momentum transfer in a nanomagnetic device with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in both free and fixed layers. The device uses CoFe/Pt multilayers to induce perpendicular anisotropy, and the critical current density for switching is about 1.0×10⁸ A/cm², tunable by adjusting the multilayer structure. Magnetoresistive measurements reveal perpendicular switching fields of 170 Oe (free layer) and 380 Oe (fixed layer) with a ΔR/R of 0.47 %, and current‑swept scans confirm full out‑of‑plane switching of the free layer, with a critical current density near 1.0×10⁸ A/cm².

Abstract

Spin momentum transfer in a nanomagnetic device with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy for both free and fixed magnetic layers is studied. The perpendicular anisotropy is induced by using CoFe∕Pt multilayer. The magnetoresistive loop shows that the perpendicular switching fields for the free and fixed layers are 170 and 380Oe, respectively, with ΔR∕R=0.47%. Resistance-current scanning clearly shows a full out-of-plane switching of the free layer magnetization under a sweeping current, which fully excludes the effect of switching by the magnetic field generated by the current. The critical current density is around 1.0×108A∕cm2, which could be tuned by changing the CoFe∕Pt multilayer structures.