On the speed of piezostrain-mediated voltage-driven perpendicular magnetization reversal: A computational elastodynamics-micromagnetic phase-field study

By linking the dynamics of local piezostrain to the dynamics of local magnetization, we computationally analyzed the speed of a recently proposed scheme of piezostrain-mediated perpendicular magnetization reversal driven by a voltage pulse in magnetoelectric heterostructures. We used a model heterostructure consisting of an elliptical ultrathin amorphous Co₂₀Fe₆₀B₂₀ on top of a polycrystalline Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃ (PZT) thin film. We constructed a diagram showing the speed of perpendicular magnetization reversal as a function of the amplitude of the applied voltage pulse and the stiffness damping coefficient of PZT film. In addition, we investigated the influence of thermal fluctuations on the switching speed. The analyses suggest that the switching time remains well below 10 ns and that the energy dissipation per switching is on the order of femtojoule. The present computational analyses can be generally used to predict the speed of piezostrain-enabled magnetization switching and magnetic domain-wall motion, which critically determines the response time of corresponding piezostrain-enabled spintronic and magnonic devices.