Simulation of multilevel cell spin transfer switching in a full-Heusler alloy spin-valve nanopillar

H. B. Huang; X. Q. Ma; Z. H. Liu; C. P. Zhao; S. Q. Shi; L. Q. Chen

doi:10.1063/1.4789867

Simulation of multilevel cell spin transfer switching in a full-Heusler alloy spin-valve nanopillar

H. B. Huang, X. Q. Ma, Z. H. Liu, C. P. Zhao, S. Q. Shi, L. Q. Chen

Materials Science and Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

22 Scopus citations

Abstract

A multilevel cell spin transfer switching process in a full-Heusler Co ₂FeAl_0.5Si_0.5 alloy spin-valve nanopillar was investigated using micromagnetic simulations. An intermediate state of two-step spin transfer magnetization switching was reported due to the four-fold magnetocrystalline anisotropy; however, we discovered the intermediate state has two possible directions of -90° and +90°, which could not be detected in the experiments due to the same resistance of the -90° state and the +90° state. The domain structures were analyzed to determine the mechanism of domain wall motion and magnetization switching under a large current. Based on two intermediate states, we reported a multilevel bit spin transfer multi-step magnetization switching by changing the magnetic anisotropy in a full-Heusler alloy nanopillar.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	042405
Journal	Applied Physics Letters
Volume	102
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4789867
State	Published - Jan 28 2013

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)

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10.1063/1.4789867

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@article{ab5b4e80a4ab49b68857f532c70a3472,

title = "Simulation of multilevel cell spin transfer switching in a full-Heusler alloy spin-valve nanopillar",

abstract = "A multilevel cell spin transfer switching process in a full-Heusler Co 2FeAl0.5Si0.5 alloy spin-valve nanopillar was investigated using micromagnetic simulations. An intermediate state of two-step spin transfer magnetization switching was reported due to the four-fold magnetocrystalline anisotropy; however, we discovered the intermediate state has two possible directions of -90° and +90°, which could not be detected in the experiments due to the same resistance of the -90° state and the +90° state. The domain structures were analyzed to determine the mechanism of domain wall motion and magnetization switching under a large current. Based on two intermediate states, we reported a multilevel bit spin transfer multi-step magnetization switching by changing the magnetic anisotropy in a full-Heusler alloy nanopillar.",

author = "Huang, {H. B.} and Ma, {X. Q.} and Liu, {Z. H.} and Zhao, {C. P.} and Shi, {S. Q.} and Chen, {L. Q.}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was sponsored by the National Science Foundation of China (11174030), by the US National Science Foundation under the Grant No. DMR-1006541 (Chen) and in part by the China Scholarship Council. The computer simulations were carried out on the LION and Cyberstar clusters at the Pennsylvania State University.",

year = "2013",

month = jan,

day = "28",

doi = "10.1063/1.4789867",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "102",

journal = "Applied Physics Letters",

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T1 - Simulation of multilevel cell spin transfer switching in a full-Heusler alloy spin-valve nanopillar

AU - Huang, H. B.

AU - Ma, X. Q.

AU - Liu, Z. H.

AU - Zhao, C. P.

AU - Shi, S. Q.

AU - Chen, L. Q.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was sponsored by the National Science Foundation of China (11174030), by the US National Science Foundation under the Grant No. DMR-1006541 (Chen) and in part by the China Scholarship Council. The computer simulations were carried out on the LION and Cyberstar clusters at the Pennsylvania State University.

PY - 2013/1/28

Y1 - 2013/1/28

N2 - A multilevel cell spin transfer switching process in a full-Heusler Co 2FeAl0.5Si0.5 alloy spin-valve nanopillar was investigated using micromagnetic simulations. An intermediate state of two-step spin transfer magnetization switching was reported due to the four-fold magnetocrystalline anisotropy; however, we discovered the intermediate state has two possible directions of -90° and +90°, which could not be detected in the experiments due to the same resistance of the -90° state and the +90° state. The domain structures were analyzed to determine the mechanism of domain wall motion and magnetization switching under a large current. Based on two intermediate states, we reported a multilevel bit spin transfer multi-step magnetization switching by changing the magnetic anisotropy in a full-Heusler alloy nanopillar.

AB - A multilevel cell spin transfer switching process in a full-Heusler Co 2FeAl0.5Si0.5 alloy spin-valve nanopillar was investigated using micromagnetic simulations. An intermediate state of two-step spin transfer magnetization switching was reported due to the four-fold magnetocrystalline anisotropy; however, we discovered the intermediate state has two possible directions of -90° and +90°, which could not be detected in the experiments due to the same resistance of the -90° state and the +90° state. The domain structures were analyzed to determine the mechanism of domain wall motion and magnetization switching under a large current. Based on two intermediate states, we reported a multilevel bit spin transfer multi-step magnetization switching by changing the magnetic anisotropy in a full-Heusler alloy nanopillar.

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JF - Applied Physics Letters

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Simulation of multilevel cell spin transfer switching in a full-Heusler alloy spin-valve nanopillar

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