Simulation of electric-field and spin-transfer-torque induced magnetization switching in perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions

Macrospin simulations are performed to model the magnetization switching driven by the combined action of electric-field and spin-polarized electric current (spin-transfer torque; STT) in MgO/CoFeB based magnetic tunnel junctions with interfacial perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The results indicate that at low current case, the free layer magnetization shows a fast toggle-like switching, the final parallel or antiparallel magnetization state is determined by the electric-field effect, and the STT just helps or resists it to reach the final state depending on the current direction. However, with the increase of current strength, the contribution of STT effect gradually increases, which eventually achieves a deterministic magnetization switching state. Simulations further demonstrate that by appropriately tuning the parameters of applied electric-field and current the power consumption can be easily reduced by two orders of magnitude. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.