Enhancement of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and transmission of spin-Hall-effect-induced spin currents by a Hf spacer layer in W/Hf/CoFeB/MgO layer structures

We report that strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of the ferromagnetic layer in a W/CoFeB/MgO multilayer structure can be established by inserting a Hf layer as thin as 0.25 nm between the W and CoFeB layers. The Hf spacer also allows transmission of spin currents generated by an in-plane char...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inApplied physics letters Vol. 104; no. 8
Main Authors Pai, Chi-Feng, Nguyen, Minh-Hai, Belvin, Carina, Vilela-Leão, Luis Henrique, Ralph, D. C., Buhrman, R. A.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Melville American Institute of Physics 24.02.2014
Subjects
ANISOTROPY
Applied physics
COBALT BORIDES
CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
CURRENTS
Ferromagnetism
HAFNIUM
HALL EFFECT
IRON BORIDES
LAYERS
Magnesium oxide
MAGNESIUM OXIDES
Magnetic anisotropy
Magnetic switching
Multilayers
SPACERS
SPIN
TORQUE
TRANSMISSION
TUNGSTEN
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ISSN0003-6951
1077-3118
DOI10.1063/1.4866965

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Summary:We report that strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of the ferromagnetic layer in a W/CoFeB/MgO multilayer structure can be established by inserting a Hf layer as thin as 0.25 nm between the W and CoFeB layers. The Hf spacer also allows transmission of spin currents generated by an in-plane charge current in the W layer to apply strong spin torque on the CoFeB, thereby enabling current-driven magnetic switching. The antidamping-like and field-like components of the spin torque exerted on a 1 nm CoFeB layer are of comparable magnitudes in this geometry. Both components originate from the spin Hall effect in the underlying W layer.
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ISSN:0003-6951
1077-3118
DOI:10.1063/1.4866965