Effect of resistance-area product on spin-transfer switching in MgO-based magnetic tunnel junction memory cells

Z. M. Zeng; P. Khalili Amiri; G. Rowlands; H. Zhao; I. N. Krivorotov; J. P. Wang; J. A. Katine; J. Langer; K. Galatsis; K. L. Wang; H. W. Jiang

doi:10.1063/1.3556615

Effect of resistance-area product on spin-transfer switching in MgO-based magnetic tunnel junction memory cells

Z. M. Zeng, P. Khalili Amiri, G. Rowlands, H. Zhao, I. N. Krivorotov, J. P. Wang, J. A. Katine, J. Langer, K. Galatsis, K. L. Wang, H. W. Jiang

College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

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

52 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We use ultrafast current-induced switching measurements to study spin-transfer switching performance metrics, such as write energy per bit (E_W) and switching current density (J_c), as a function of resistance-area product (RA) (hence MgO thickness) in magnetic tunnel junction cells used for magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM). E_W increases with RA, while J_c decreases with increasing RA for both switching directions. The results are discussed in terms of RA optimization for low write energy and current drive capability (hence density) of the MRAM cells. Switching times <2 ns and write energies <0.3 pJ are demonstrated for 135 nm×65 nm CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB devices.

Original language	English
Article number	072512
Journal	Applied Physics Letters
Volume	98
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3556615
Publication status	Published - 2011 Feb 14

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)

Access to Document

10.1063/1.3556615

Cite this

@article{6f9369e8da6b4efab931a8f5624f7c45,

title = "Effect of resistance-area product on spin-transfer switching in MgO-based magnetic tunnel junction memory cells",

abstract = "We use ultrafast current-induced switching measurements to study spin-transfer switching performance metrics, such as write energy per bit (EW) and switching current density (Jc), as a function of resistance-area product (RA) (hence MgO thickness) in magnetic tunnel junction cells used for magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM). EW increases with RA, while Jc decreases with increasing RA for both switching directions. The results are discussed in terms of RA optimization for low write energy and current drive capability (hence density) of the MRAM cells. Switching times <2 ns and write energies <0.3 pJ are demonstrated for 135 nm×65 nm CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB devices.",

author = "Zeng, {Z. M.} and {Khalili Amiri}, P. and G. Rowlands and H. Zhao and Krivorotov, {I. N.} and Wang, {J. P.} and Katine, {J. A.} and J. Langer and K. Galatsis and Wang, {K. L.} and Jiang, {H. W.}",

note = "Funding Information: We would like to acknowledge fruitful discussions with Y. Huai. This work was supported by the DARPA STT-RAM program (HR0011-09-C-0114) and the Nanoelectronics Research Initiative (NRI) through the Western Institute of Nanoelectronics (WIN).",

year = "2011",

month = feb,

day = "14",

doi = "10.1063/1.3556615",

language = "English",

volume = "98",

journal = "Applied Physics Letters",

issn = "0003-6951",

publisher = "American Institute of Physics Publising LLC",

number = "7",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Effect of resistance-area product on spin-transfer switching in MgO-based magnetic tunnel junction memory cells

AU - Zeng, Z. M.

AU - Khalili Amiri, P.

AU - Rowlands, G.

AU - Zhao, H.

AU - Krivorotov, I. N.

AU - Wang, J. P.

AU - Katine, J. A.

AU - Langer, J.

AU - Galatsis, K.

AU - Wang, K. L.

AU - Jiang, H. W.

N1 - Funding Information: We would like to acknowledge fruitful discussions with Y. Huai. This work was supported by the DARPA STT-RAM program (HR0011-09-C-0114) and the Nanoelectronics Research Initiative (NRI) through the Western Institute of Nanoelectronics (WIN).

PY - 2011/2/14

Y1 - 2011/2/14

N2 - We use ultrafast current-induced switching measurements to study spin-transfer switching performance metrics, such as write energy per bit (EW) and switching current density (Jc), as a function of resistance-area product (RA) (hence MgO thickness) in magnetic tunnel junction cells used for magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM). EW increases with RA, while Jc decreases with increasing RA for both switching directions. The results are discussed in terms of RA optimization for low write energy and current drive capability (hence density) of the MRAM cells. Switching times <2 ns and write energies <0.3 pJ are demonstrated for 135 nm×65 nm CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB devices.

AB - We use ultrafast current-induced switching measurements to study spin-transfer switching performance metrics, such as write energy per bit (EW) and switching current density (Jc), as a function of resistance-area product (RA) (hence MgO thickness) in magnetic tunnel junction cells used for magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM). EW increases with RA, while Jc decreases with increasing RA for both switching directions. The results are discussed in terms of RA optimization for low write energy and current drive capability (hence density) of the MRAM cells. Switching times <2 ns and write energies <0.3 pJ are demonstrated for 135 nm×65 nm CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB devices.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79951926034&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=79951926034&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1063/1.3556615

DO - 10.1063/1.3556615

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:79951926034

SN - 0003-6951

VL - 98

JO - Applied Physics Letters

JF - Applied Physics Letters

IS - 7

M1 - 072512

ER -

Effect of resistance-area product on spin-transfer switching in MgO-based magnetic tunnel junction memory cells

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this