Development of piezoelectronically spintronic devices and its application to ultra-low voltage memory

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K18853
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 21:Electrical and electronic engineering and related fields
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Takamura Yota 東京工業大学, 工学院, 助教 (20708482)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-06-29 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: スピントロニクス / ピエゾエレクトリック磁気抵抗素子 / 圧電体 / 不揮発性メモリ / MRAM

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Amorphous SmFe2 layers with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy were successfully developed as a recording layer materials for a piezo electronic magnetoresistive devices. The origin of the magnetic anisotropy were investigated. We have also fabricated magnetoresistive devices including SmFe2 layer as the recording layer and observed nonlinear electric conduction characteristics due to tunnel conduction. However, no magnetoresistance effect could be observed at room temperature. A simple pressurizing structure which apply pressure to a SmFe2 pillar were fabricated. The change in magnetic characteristics with the application of voltage were detected.

Free Research Field

スピントロニクス

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

不揮発性メモリの本質的なトレードオフである情報書換のためのエネルギーと熱的安定性を打破するデバイスとしてピエゾエレクトリック磁気抵抗素子の開発に挑戦し，そのデバイス動作の一部を実証した．本研究成果は，コンピューターやInternet of Thingsなどに必要な超低消費電力メモリの開発に有効であった．