hesela.devMagnetic tunnel junction
A magnetic tunnel junction consists of two magnetic layers separated by a thin insulating barrier through which electrons tunnel.
Readout: In conventional MRAM junctions, parallel layer magnetizations give lower resistance and antiparallel magnetizations higher resistance. A reference layer and switchable free layer provide distinguishable states. [1]
Role: The junction is a device structure, not a write protocol. STT-MRAM switches the free layer using current through it; field-switched MRAM uses a different write mechanism. [2] [1]
Limits: Barrier material, interfaces and applied electrical stress influence breakdown, so a measured junction lifetime is specific to the tested structure and conditions. [3]
Relations
Citations
- Everspin: Toggle MRAM Technology, cell structure and read/write operation.
- Everspin: STT-MRAM Technology, switching mechanism and interface examples.
- Choi et al. (2017). Endurance of magnetic tunnel junctions under dynamic voltage stress. Electronics Letters 53:1146-1148.
Further reading
Sources & caveats
- The cited endurance experiment used MgAl2O4 barriers. Its cycle counts are not generalized to other barrier materials. [3]