Spin control by application of electric current and voltage in FeCo–MgO junctions

Abstract

Efficient control and detection of spins are the most important tasks in spintronics. The current and voltage applied to a magnetic tunnel junction may exert a torque on the magnetic thin layer in the junction and cause its reversal or continuous precession. The discovery of the giant tunnelling magnetoresistance effect in ferromagnetic tunnelling junctions using an MgO barrier enabled us to obtain a large signal output from the magnetization reversal and precession. Also, the interplay of large spin configuration–electric conduction coupling provides highly nonlinear effects like the spin-torque diode effect. The negative resistance effect and amplification using it are predicted. A new discovery about a voltage-induced magnetic anisotropy change in Fe ultrathin films is also discussed.