Current-induced magnetization reversal in nanopillars with perpendicular anisotropy

Author

Mangin, S. ; Ravelosona, D. ; Katine, J.A. ; Fullerton, E.E.

Author_Institution

Hitachi Global Storage Technol., San Jose

fYear

2006

fDate

8-12 May 2006

Firstpage

5

Lastpage

5

Abstract

In the present article, we describe our experiment demonstration of magnetic reversal and domain wall motion in driven by spin-currents in devices and wires with both the reference and free layer possessing perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.Two types of multilayer structures were designed such that the magnetic layers had perpendicular anisotropy. These were (bottom lead/ [Co/Pt]/[Co/Ni]/Cu/[Co/Ni]/ top lead) and (bottom lead/ [Co/Pt] Cu/[Co/Pt]/ top lead) sample structures. For the Co/Ni structure, the reference layer is a composite Co/Pt and Co/Ni multilayer to enhance the anisotropy and the free layer is a Co/Ni multilayer. E-beam lithography was used to define nanopillars with different shape (circle, hexagon and square) and different size. (diameters ranging from 1600 nm to 50 nm).The minor hysteresis loop shows the reversal of only the free layer, which is offset by 650 Oe from the origin due to the average dipolar field from the lower layer that favors parallel alignment.

Keywords

cobalt; electron beam lithography; magnetic domain walls; magnetic hysteresis; magnetic multilayers; magnetisation reversal; nanostructured materials; nickel; perpendicular magnetic anisotropy; platinum; Co-Ni; Co-Pt; E-beam lithography; current-induced magnetization reversal; dipolar field; domain wall motion; hysteresis loop; multilayer structures; nanopillars; perpendicular magnetic anisotropy; size 1600 nm to 50 nm; spin currents; Anisotropic magnetoresistance; Lithography; Magnetic devices; Magnetic domain walls; Magnetic domains; Magnetic multilayers; Magnetization reversal; Nonhomogeneous media; Shape; Wires;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Magnetics Conference, 2006. INTERMAG 2006. IEEE International

Conference_Location

San Diego, CA

Print_ISBN

1-4244-1479-2

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/INTMAG.2006.375414

Filename

4261439