A Widely Tunable Spin-Orbit Torque Device through the Silicon Compatible CMOS Platform

Area of Science:

• Spintronics
• Semiconductor device physics
• Materials science

Background:

• Voltage-controlled spin-orbit torque is crucial for next-generation spintronic devices like nonvolatile memory and spin logic.
• Current challenges in voltage-controlled MRAM include integration difficulties and high operating voltages.
• Significant progress has been made in electric field control of spin-orbit torques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a tunable spin-orbit torque device fully integrated within CMOS technology.
• To address the limitations of integration and operating voltage in practical MRAM applications.
• To demonstrate a device with large tunability and low operating voltage.

Main Methods:

• Development of hybrid architectures for integrated MRAM devices.
• Integration of tunable spin-orbit torque devices within CMOS technology.
• Characterization of device performance, including write speed and current thresholds.

Main Results:

• The proposed integrated MRAM devices exhibit significant acceleration in write speed.
• Lower current thresholds were achieved compared to existing technologies.
• The device demonstrates large tunability and operates at a low voltage.

Conclusions:

• The developed tunable spin-orbit torque device facilitates commercial exploitation of spintronic technologies.
• This work is promising for the advancement of spin transistors and unconventional computing.
• The integration within CMOS technology overcomes practical limitations for MRAM applications.