In this chapter, we will restrict our attention to the ferrites and a few other closely related materials. The great interest in ferrites stems from their unique combination of a spontaneous magnetization and a high electrical resistivity. The observed magnetization results from the difference in the magnetizations of two non-equivalent sub-lattices of the magnetic ions in the crystal structure. Materials of this type should strictly be designated as “ferrimagnetic” and in some respects are more closely related to anti-ferromagnetic substances than they are to ferromagnetics in which the magnetization results from the parallel alignment of all the magnetic moments present. We shall not adhere to this special nomenclature except to emphasize effects, which are due to the existence of the sub-lattices.

Ferromagnetic materials

Electrons have a charge and a spin, but until recently these were considered separately. In classical electronics, charges are moved by electric fields to transmit information and are stored in a capacitor to save it. In magnetic recording, magnetic fields have been used to read or write the information stored on the magnetization, which 'measures' the local orientation of spins in ferromagnets. The picture started to change in 1988, when the discovery of giant magnetoresistance opened the way to efficient control of charge transport through magnetization. The recent expansion of hard-disk recording owes much to this development. We are starting to see a new paradigm where magnetization dynamics and charge currents act on each other in nanostructured artificial materials. Ultimately, 'spin currents' could even replace charge currents for the transfer and treatment of information, allowing faster, low-energy operations: spin electronics is on its way.

/pdf/the-emergence-of-spin-electronics-in-data-storage-1vrnm5549k.pdf

The emergence of spin electronics in data storage

http://files.janapv.webnode.cz/200000097-8a03f8afdf/ex_bias_nano.pdf

Exchange bias in nanostructures

https://ralphgroup.lassp.cornell.edu/papers/JMMM-320-1190-2008.pdf

Spin transfer torques

Simple rules for the understanding of Heusler compounds

The possibility of exciting microwave oscillations in a nanomagnet by a spin-polarized current, as predicted by Slonczewski and Berger, has recently been demonstrated. This observation opens important prospects of applications in radiofrequency components. However, some unresolved inconsistencies are found when interpreting the magnetization dynamics within the coherent spin-torque model. In some cases, the telegraph noise caused by spin-currents could not be quantitatively described by that model. This has led to controversy about the need for an effective magnetic temperature model. Here we interpret the experimental results of Kiselev et al. using micromagnetic simulations. We point out the key role played by incoherent spin-wave excitation due to spin-transfer torque. The incoherence is caused by spatial inhomogeneities in local fields generating distributions of local precession frequencies. We observe telegraph noise with gigahertz frequencies at zero temperature. This is a consequence of the chaotic dynamics and is associated with transitions between attraction wells in phase space.

Excitations of incoherent spin-waves due to spin-transfer torque.

As predicted by Slonczewski and Berger, the possibility of exciting microwave oscillations in a nanomagnet by a spin-polarized current has been recently demonstrated. This observation opens very important perspectives of applications in RF components. However, some unresolved inconsistencies are found when interpreting the magnetization dynamics results within the coherent spin-torque model (CSM). In some cases, the telegraph noise caused by spin-currents could not be described quantitatively by the CSM. This led to controversies about the need of an effective magnetic temperature model (ETM). Here we interpret the experimental results of Kiselev et al. [Nature 425, 380 (2003)] using micromagnetic simulations. We point out the key role played by incoherent spin-waves excitation due to spin-transfer effects. The incoherence is caused by the spatial inhomogeneities of the local fields, generating a distribution of local precession frequencies. It results in telegraph noise at zero temperature associated with transitions between attraction wells in phase space.

Excitations of incoherent spin-waves due to spin-transfer torque

A thermally assisted writing procedure is proposed in a tunnel junction based magnetic random access memory cell. The magnetic layers of the tunnel junction are both exchange-biased with antiferromagnetic layers, the reference layer having a much higher blocking temperature than the storage layer. In the operating mode, a current pulse sent through the junction generates enough heat to raise the temperature of the storage layer above its blocking temperature, without affecting the pinning of the reference layer. The concept is demonstrated here for an isolated junction using an homogeneous external magnetic field.

Thermally assisted switching in exchange-biased storage layer magnetic tunnel junctions

This paper is focused on thermally assisted magnetic random access memories (TA-MRAMs). It explains how the heating produced by Joule dissipation around the tunnel barrier of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) can be used advantageously to assist writing in MRAMs. The main idea is to apply a heating pulse to the junction simultaneously with a magnetic field (field-induced thermally assisted (TA) switching). Since the heating current also provides a spin-transfer torque (current-induced TA switching), the magnetic field lines can be removed to increase the storage density of TA-MRAMs. Ultimately, thermally induced anisotropy reorientation (TIAR)-assisted spin-transfer torque switching can be used in MTJs with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy to obtain ultimate downsize scalability with reduced power consumption. TA writing allows extending the downsize scalability of MRAMs as it does in hard disk drive technology, but it also allows introducing new functionalities particularly useful for security applications (Match-in-Place™ technology).

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0022-3727/46/7/074002/pdf

Jean Pierre Nozieres

Papers

Excitations of incoherent spin-waves due to spin-transfer torque.

Excitations of incoherent spin-waves due to spin-transfer torque

Thermally assisted switching in exchange-biased storage layer magnetic tunnel junctions

Thermally assisted MRAMs: ultimate scalability and logic functionalities

Magnetostatic interactions between magnetic arrays and superconducting thin films