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In this work we demonstrate explicit analytical expressions for both charge and spin currents which constitute the 2 × 2 spinor in magnetic tunnel junctions with noncollinear magnetizations under applied voltage. The calculations have been performed within the free electron model in the framework of the Keldysh formalism and WKB approximation. We demonstrate that spin/charge currents and spin transfer torques are all explicitly expressed through only three irreducible quantities, without further approximations. The conditions and mechanisms of deviation from the conventional sine angular dependence of both spin currents and torques are shown and discussed. It is shown in the thick barrier approximation that all tunneling transport quantities can be expressed in an extremely simplified form via Slonczewski spin polarizations and our effective spin averaged interfacial transmission probabilities and effective out-of-plane polarizations at both interfaces. It is proven that the latter plays a key role in the emergence of perpendicular spin torque as well as in the angular dependence character of all spin and charge transport considered. It is demonstrated directly also that for any applied voltage, the parallel component of spin current at the FM/I interface is expressed via collinear longitudinal spin current components. Finally, spin transfer torque behavior is analyzed in a view of transverse characteristic length scales for spin transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonequilibrium spin-dependent transport in magnetic tunnel junctions comprising a ferroelectric barrier is theoretically investigated. The exact solutions of the free electron Schrödinger equation for electron tunneling in the presence of interfacial screening are obtained by combining Bessel and Airy functions. We demonstrate that the spin transfer torque efficiency, and more generally the bias dependence of tunneling magneto- and electroresistance, can be controlled by switching the ferroelectric polarization of the barrier. In particular, the critical voltage at which the in-plane torque changes sign can be strongly enhanced or reduced depending on the direction of the ferroelectric polarization of the barrier. This effect provides a supplementary way to electrically control the current-driven dynamic states of the magnetization and related magnetic noise in spin transfer devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relative contributions of in-plane (damping-like) and out-of-plane (field-like) spin-transfer torques (STT) in the magnetization switching of out-of-plane magnetized magnetic tunnel junctions (pMTJ) has been theoretically analyzed using the transformed Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert (LLG) equation with the STT terms. It is demonstrated that in a pMTJ structure obeying macrospin dynamics, the out-of-plane torque influences the precession frequency, but it does not contribute significantly to the STT switching process (in particular to the switching time and switching current density), which is mostly determined by the in-plane STT contribution. This conclusion is confirmed by finite temperature and finite writing pulse macrospin simulations of the current field switching diagrams. It contrasts with the case of STT switching in in-plane magnetized magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) in which the field-like term also influences the switching critical current. This theoretical analysis was successfully applied to the interpretation of voltage field STT switching diagrams experimentally measured on pMTJ pillars 36 nm in diameter, which exhibit macrospin behavior. The physical nonequivalence of Landau and Gilbert dissipation terms in the presence of STT-induced dynamics is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of important characteristics of a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) nanoheterostructure that is used as magnetic random access memory (MRAM) cell and is switched by the spin transfer torque (STT) effect is its stability diagram, which determines the range of values of the external magnetic field and applied voltage under which a cell is in one of two stable states. To numerically construct such diagrams, one usually uses the solution of the Landau–Lifshitz dynamic equation in the single-domain approximation along with phenomenological constants that determine the values of spin torque in the material. In the present paper, the problem of spin-dependent electron transfer in an MTJ structure is considered, whose solution in the free-electron approximation allows one to calculate the values of spin torque for a given material in any magnetic configuration of the system and apply them to the integration of the Landau–Lifshitz equation. The method used allows one to more precisely reproduce the shape of the stability diagram and predict the critical values of the magnetic field and voltage necessary to switch an MTJ-based MRAM cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The charge-mediated effect of electric field on the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) of Fe/MgO interfaces is investigated using first-principles calculations. We present an approach by discussing this effect in relation to the intrinsic dipole field existing at the Fe/MgO interface. A firm correlation between the PMA and the interfacial dipole is established and further verified in the absence of an applied electric field. The on-site projected PMA analysis not only elucidates that the effect of electric field on the PMA extends beyond the interfacial Fe layer, but also shows that the second Fe layer carries the largest contribution to the effect. This observation is interpreted in relation to the orbital hybridization changes induced by applying an electric field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Double-barrier heterostructures are model systems for the study of electron tunneling and discrete energy levels in a quantum well (QW). Until now resonant tunneling phenomena in metallic QWs have been observed for limited thicknesses (1-2 nm) under which electron phase coherence is conserved. In the present study we show evidence of QW resonance states in Fe QWs up to 12 nm thick and at room temperature in fully epitaxial double MgA10c barrier magnetic tunnel junctions. The electron phase coherence displayed in this QW is of unprecedented quality because of a homogenous interface phase shift due to the small lattice mismatch at the Fe-MgA10v interface. The physical understanding of the critical role of interface strain on QW phase coherence will greatly promote the development of spin-dependent quantum resonant tunneling applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetization switching induced by spin transfer torque is used to write magnetic memories (Magnetic Random Access Memory, MRAM) but can be detrimental to the reading process. It would be quite convenient therefore to modulate the efficiency of spin transfer torque. A solution is adding an extra degree of freedom by using double barrier magnetic tunnel junctions with two spin-polarizers, with controllable relative magnetic alignment. We demonstrate, for these structures, that the amplitude of in-plane spin transfer torque on the middle free layer can be efficiently tuned via the magnetic configuration of the electrodes. Using the proposed design could thus pave the way towards more reliable read/write schemes for MRAM. Moreover, our results suggest an intriguing effect associated with the out-of-plane (field-like) spin transfer torque, which has to be further investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spin-transfer torque (STT) in tunnel junctions with ferromagnetic leads is one of the essential underlying phenomena of modem spintronics. Here, we present a theoretical study of STT in ferrimagnet- (FT-) based tunnel junctions where two FI metal electrodes are separated by a thin nonmagnetic insulating barrier. We show that electronic structure parameters, such as bandwidths and exchange splittings of the FI leads strongly influence STT. In particular, the STT spatial distribution within the leads shows a striking spin-modulated wavelike behavior resulting from the interplay between the exchange splittings of the two FI sublattices. Additionally, we identify the fundamental parameter for quantifying STT characteristic lengths in FI metals, which will also be accessible to experiments, for instance, by ferromagnetic resonance and spin pumping measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present theoretical studies of the intrinsic spin-orbit torque (SOT) in a single-domain ferromagnetic layer with Rashba spin-orbit coupling (SOC) using the nonequilibrium Green's function formalism for a tight-binding Hamiltonian. We find that, in the case of a small electric field, the intrinsic SOT to first order in SOC has only the field-like torque symmetry and can be interpreted as the longitudinal spin current induced by the charge current and Rashba field. We analyze the results in terms of the material-related parameters of the electronic structure, such as the band filling, bandwidth, exchange splitting, and the Rashba SOC strength. On the basis of these numerical and analytical results, we discuss the magnitude and sign of SOT. Our results suggest that the different sign of SOT in identical ferromagnets with different supporting layers, e.g., Co/Pt and Co/Ta, can be attributed to electrostatic doping of the ferromagnetic layer by the support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present measurements of the spin Hall effect (SHE) in AuW and AuTa alloys for a large range of W or Ta concentrations by combining experiments on lateral spin valves and ferromagnetic-resonance/spin-pumping techniques. The main result is the identification of a large enhancement of the spin Hall angle (SHA) by the side-jump mechanism on Ta impurities, with a SHA as high as +0.5 (i.e., 50%) for about 10% of Ta. In contrast, the SHA in AuW does not exceed +0.15 and can be explained by intrinsic SHE of the alloy without significant extrinsic contribution from skew or side-jump scattering by W impurities. The AuTa alloys, as they combine a very large SHA with a moderate resistivity (smaller than 85μΩcm), are promising for spintronic devices exploiting the SHE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetoresistive and magnetoresonance measurements carried out on patterned perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction pillars and full-sheet films reveal magnetic inhomogeneities of FeCoB free layer grown on MgO and coated with Ta. At low FeCoB thicknesses, the layer behaves as an ensemble of weakly coupled grains resulting in a decrease of the free-layer thermal stability. In contrast, for thicker layers, the grains become more strongly coupled but strong magnetic inhomogeneities remain, yielding the emergence and further increase of a second-order magnetic anisotropy term (~K2effcos4θ), eventually resulting in an easy-cone anisotropy. We show that the static and dynamic magnetic properties of such a free layer can be successfully described by a granular model with three thickness-dependent parameters: mean perpendicular anisotropy of the grains, grain-to-grain anisotropy distribution, and intergrain exchangelike coupling strength. Easy-cone anisotropy may help reduce the stochasticity of the spin transfer torque switching. However, it arises at intermediate values of the intergrain exchange coupling where the spin transfer torque (STT) switching efficiency is degraded, as shown by multimacrospin modeling. This is due to the excitation of exchange modes contributing weakly to the STT switching process while dissipating part of the STT energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a theory of the anisotropy of tunneling magnetoresistance (ATMR) phenomenon in magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) attributed to Rashba spin-orbit interaction in the insulating barrier. ATMR represents the difference of tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) amplitude measured with in-plane and out-of-plane magnetic configurations. It is demonstrated that within the spin-polarized free-electron model the change of conductance associated with the ATMR is exactly twice the change of conductance measured at full saturation (i.e., in parallel configuration of magnetizations) between in-plane and out-of-plane configuration, i.e., the tunneling anisotropic magnetoresistance (TAMR). Both ATMR and TAMR are closely related to the TMR amplitude and spin-orbit constant. The predicted ATMR phenomenon is confirmed experimentally, showing a few percent value in the case of the widely studied CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB based MTJ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]