No Arabic abstract
In this letter, we present a study of optimized TMR magnetic field sensors as a function of voltage bias. The 1/f low-frequency noise is quantified by the Hooge-like parameter {alpha} which allows to compare the low-frequency behavior of various TMR sensors. The sensitivity as well as the detectivity of the sensor are characterized in the parallel state and at 0 mT. We observe that the sensitivity shows a strong voltage dependence and the noise presents an unexpected decrease, not anticipated by the Hooges law. Moreover, surprisingly, an almost stable detectivity (140-200 nT/sqrt(Hz) at 10 Hz and 15-20 nT/sqrt(Hz) at 1 kHz) as a function of the bias voltage is observed, tending to highlight that the variation of sensitivity and noise are correlated. Even if the I-V curves are strongly non-linear and reflect the different symmetries of the conduction bands channels, the variations in sensitivity and noise seems to depend mainly on the distortion of the MgO barrier due to bias voltage. With a simple model where the normal noise and sensitivity of the TMR sensors are modified by an element having no noise and a parabolic conductance with voltage, we describe the behavior of noise and sensitivity from mV to V.
We report on the noise performance characteristics of magnetic sensors using both magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) and giant magnetoresistance (GMR) elements. Each sensor studied has a notably different noise and detectivity. Of the sensors we measured, those based on GMR multilayers have the lowest noise and detectivity. However, the GMR sensor also has a significantly smaller linear range. To make a direct comparison between sensors we scale the linear operating ranges of each sensor to be the same. This is the phenomenological equivalent of modifying the flux concentration. Upon scaling the low frequency detectivity of the TMR sensors becomes essentially equal to that of the GMR sensor. Using the scaling approach we are able to place the detectivity in the context of other key parameters, namely size and power consumption. Lastly, we use this technique to examine the upper limit for magnetoresistive sensor performance based on a notional MTJ sensor using present record setting TMR values.
A novel method for extracting threshold voltage and substrate effect parameters of MOSFETs with constant current bias at all levels of inversion is presented. This generalized constant-current (GCC) method exploits the charge-based model of MOSFETs to extract threshold voltage and other substrate-effect related parameters. The method is applicable over a wide range of current throughout weak and moderate inversion and to some extent in strong inversion. This method is particularly useful when applied for MOSFETs presenting edge conduction effect (subthreshold hump) in CMOS processes using Shallow Trench Isolation (STI).
Perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions (p-MTJs) switched utilizing bipolar electric fields have extensive applications in energy-efficient memory and logic devices. Voltage-controlled magnetic anisotropy linearly lowers the energy barrier of ferromagnetic layer via electric field effect and efficiently switches p-MTJs only with a unipolar behavior. Here we demonstrate a bipolar electric field effect switching of 100-nm p-MTJs with a synthetic antiferromagnetic free layer through voltage-controlled exchange coupling (VCEC). The switching current density, ~1.1x10^5 A/cm^2, is one order of magnitude lower than that of the best-reported spin-transfer torque devices. Theoretical results suggest that electric field induces a ferromagnetic-antiferromagnetic exchange coupling transition of the synthetic antiferromagnetic free layer and generates a field-like interlayer exchange coupling torque, which cause the bidirectional magnetization switching of p-MTJs. A preliminary benchmarking simulation estimates that VCEC dissipates an order of magnitude lower writing energy compared to spin-transfer torque at the 15-nm technology node. These results could eliminate the major obstacle in the development of spin memory devices beyond their embedded applications.
Voltage-induced ferromagnetic resonance (V-FMR) in magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with a W buffer is investigated. Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) energy is controlled by both thickness of a CoFeB free layer deposited directly on the W buffer and a post-annealing process at different temperatures. The PMA energy as well as the magnetization damping are determined by analysing field-dependent FMR signals in different field geometries. An optimized MTJ structure enabled excitation of V-FMR at frequencies exceeding 30 GHz. The macrospin modelling is used to analyse the field- and angular-dependence of the V-FMR signal and to support experimental magnetization damping extraction.
Voltage-induced magnetization dynamics in a conically magnetized free layer with an elliptic cylinder shape is theoretically studied on the basis of the macrospin model. It is found that an application of voltage pulse can induce the precessional switching of magnetization even at zero-bias magnetic field, which is of substantial importance for device applications such as voltage-controlled nonvolatile memory. Analytical expressions of the conditions for precessional switching are derived.