Feasibility of an active-read approach for spin-torque switched magnetic tunnel junctions in a random access memory

Abstract

The circuit element behavior during an active read-out approach is analyzed for the detection of the bit-state of a spin-transfer-torque (STT) switchable magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) as a storage bit in a random access memory. Fundamentally, such read-out schemes detect the presence or absence of a hysteresis in the current-voltage characteristic of the MTJ depending on its magnetic configuration and the bias direction. A quantitative assessment is given in terms of the range of threshold distribution to be expected, and the read-out time one can achieve as it depends on various device parameters. The quantitative results given are based on an approximate macrospin model for the STT-switched MTJ.

Micromagnetic Simulation of Strain-Assisted Current-Induced Magnetization Switching

“…Since Sun et al [1] and Sun et al [2] proposed the spin transfer torque (STT) effects in the ferromagnetic materials, STT has attracted great attention due to its potential applications of magnetic devices in the past decades [3][4][5][6][7][8]. In STT effects, angular momentums of the electrons may transfer to the ferromagnetic magnetization.…”