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Controlling the demagnetizing field of an in-plane free layer by exchange coupling with a perpendicular multilayer

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Abstract

The demagnetizing field of a Co50Fe50 free layer in an in-plane micron-sized magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) can be partially compensated by exchange coupling with a [Co90Fe10/Pt] N multilayer with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy via a Ru interlayer. The perpendicular anisotropy for N = 5 is optimized for nominal CoFe and Pt thickness of 0.4 nm and 1.0 nm, respectively. An increase of tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) from 2% to 75% is observed in MTJs as the free layer thickness, t varies from 1.0 nm to 3.0 nm. A phenomenological model is developed to interpret the TMR dependence in terms of the free layer magnetization rotation from in-plane to out-of-plane with decreasing t, a consequence of interlayer exchange coupling with the perpendicular multilayer. We suggest that this strategy could significantly reduce the switching current density in such MTJs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Physics and CRANN, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland

    Yong Chang Lau, Kaan Oguz, Karsten Rode & J.M.D. Coey

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  1. Yong Chang Lau
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  2. Kaan Oguz
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  3. Karsten Rode
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  4. J.M.D. Coey
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Correspondence to Yong Chang Lau.

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Lau, Y., Oguz, K., Rode, K. et al. Controlling the demagnetizing field of an in-plane free layer by exchange coupling with a perpendicular multilayer. Eur. Phys. J. B 86, 110 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2013-30680-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2013-30680-8

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