Giant nonvolatile manipulation of magnetoresistance in magnetic tunnel junctions by electric fields via magnetoelectric coupling

Aitian Chen, Yan Wen, Bin Fang, Yuelei Zhao, Qiang Zhang, Yuansi Chang, Peisen Li, Hao Wu, Haoliang Huang, Yalin Lu, Zhongming Zeng, Jianwang Cai, Xiufeng Han, Tom Wu (), Xi-Xiang Zhang () and Yonggang Zhao ()
Additional contact information
Aitian Chen: Tsinghua University
Yan Wen: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Bin Fang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yuelei Zhao: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Qiang Zhang: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Yuansi Chang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Peisen Li: Tsinghua University
Hao Wu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Haoliang Huang: University of Science and Technology of China
Yalin Lu: University of Science and Technology of China
Zhongming Zeng: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jianwang Cai: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Xiufeng Han: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Tom Wu: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Xi-Xiang Zhang: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Yonggang Zhao: Tsinghua University

Nature Communications, 2019, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Electrically switchable magnetization is considered a milestone in the development of ultralow power spintronic devices, and it has been a long sought-after goal for electric-field control of magnetoresistance in magnetic tunnel junctions with ultralow power consumption. Here, through integrating spintronics and multiferroics, we investigate MgO-based magnetic tunnel junctions on ferroelectric substrate with a high tunnel magnetoresistance ratio of 235%. A giant, reversible and nonvolatile electric-field manipulation of magnetoresistance to about 55% is realized at room temperature without the assistance of a magnetic field. Through strain-mediated magnetoelectric coupling, the electric field modifies the magnetic anisotropy of the free layer leading to its magnetization rotation so that the relative magnetization configuration of the magnetic tunnel junction can be efficiently modulated. Our findings offer significant fundamental insight into information storage using electric writing and magnetic reading and represent a crucial step towards low-power spintronic devices.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-08061-5

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