科研之友
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摘要
We have time resolved the spin-transfer-torque-induced switching in perpendicularly magnetized tunnel junctions of diameters from 50 to 250 nm in the subthreshold thermally activated regime. When the field and the spin torque concur to both favor the P to AP transition, the reversal yields monotonic resistance ramps that can be interpreted as a domain wall propagation through the device at velocities of the order of 17 to 30 nm/ns; smaller cells switch faster, and proportionally to their diameter. At the largest sizes, transient domain wall pinning can occasionally occur. When the field hinders the P to AP transition triggered by the spin torque, the P to AP switching is preceded by repetitive switching attempts, during which the resistance transiently increases until successful reversal occurs. At 50 nm, the P to AP switching proceeds reproducibly in 3 ns, with a monotonic featureless increase of the device resistance. In the reverse transition (AP to P), the variability of thermally activated reversal is not restricted to stochastic variations of incubation delays before the onset of reversal: several reversal paths are possible even in the smallest perpendicularly magnetized junctions. Besides, the nonuniform nature of the magnetic response seems still present at the nanoscale, with sometimes electrical signatures of strong disorder during the AP to P reversal. The AP to P transition is preceded by a strong instability of the AP states in devices larger than 100 nm. The resistance becomes extremely agitated before switching to P in a path yielding a slow (20 to 50 ns) and irregular increase of the conductance with substantial event-to-event variability. Unreversed bubbles of typical diameter 60 nm can persist a few additional microseconds in the largest junctions. The complexity of the AP to P switching is reduced but not suppressed when the junctions are downsized below 60 nm. The instability of the initial AP state is no longer detected but the other features are maintained. In the smallest junctions (50 nm) we occasionally observe much faster (sub-1 ns) AP to P switching events that could result from a macrospin process. We discuss the origin of the switching asymmetry and the size dependence, with an emphasis on the role of the nonuniformities of the stray field emanating from the reference layers of the tunnel junction, which affects the zones in which nucleation is favored.
- 出版日期2016-6-28
