Published October 19, 2015 | Version v1
Journal article

Voltage-controlled magnetic anisotropy in Fe|MgO tunnel junctions studied by x-ray absorption spectroscopy

  • 1. Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-8531 (Japan)
  • 2. Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute/SPring-8, Sayo, Hyogo 679-5198 (Japan)

Description

In this study, voltage-controlled magnetic anisotropy (VCMA) in Fe|MgO tunnel junctions was investigated via the magneto-optical Kerr effect, soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy, and magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy. The Fe|MgO tunnel junctions showed enhanced perpendicular magnetic anisotropy under external negative voltage, which induced charge depletion at the Fe|MgO interface. Despite the application of voltages of opposite polarity, no trace of chemical reaction such as a redox reaction attributed to O2− migration was detected in the x-ray absorption spectra of the Fe. The VCMA reported in the Fe|MgO-based magnetic tunnel junctions must therefore originate from phenomena associated with the purely electric effect, that is, surface electron doping and/or redistribution induced by an external electric field

Additional details

Identifiers

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Applied Physics Letters
Journal Volume
107
Journal Issue
16
Journal Page Range
p. 162402-162402.4
ISSN
0003-6951
CODEN
APPLAB

Optional Information

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