Orbital and Spin-Orbit Torque Interplay in Ta/W-based Magnetic Tunnel Junctions with Vertical Non-local Switching

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Biagi, Marco, Capriata, Corrado C. M., Senapati, K. Subham, Koll, Ioannis Trikoilis, Bouchard, Corentin, Sousa, Ricardo C., Hutin, Louis, Viala, Bernard, Garello, Kevin
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2026
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author Biagi, Marco
Capriata, Corrado C. M.
Senapati, K. Subham
Koll, Ioannis Trikoilis
Bouchard, Corentin
Sousa, Ricardo C.
Hutin, Louis
Viala, Bernard
Garello, Kevin
author_facet Biagi, Marco
Capriata, Corrado C. M.
Senapati, K. Subham
Koll, Ioannis Trikoilis
Bouchard, Corentin
Sousa, Ricardo C.
Hutin, Louis
Viala, Bernard
Garello, Kevin
contents Spin-orbit torque (SOT) enables ultra-fast, energy-efficient magnetization switching, making it a promising mechanism for introducing MRAMs for cache memory applications. However, current SOT-MRAM devices face write efficiency limitations, with charge-to-spin conversion ($ξ_{DL}$) reaching $\sim$ 45\%, far below the projected $\sim$ 80\% needed to comply with the current delivery of advanced transistor nodes. Recent advances in orbital current physics, evidenced in a wide class of materials, offer a path to enhance $ξ_{DL}$. Here, we study the Ta(3-30 nm)\slash W(1-4 nm) system, revealing a large additional spin-orbit torque contribution arising from Ta, a four-fold increase compared to the spin Hall effect in Ta alone, attributed to the orbital Hall contribution. This system exhibits larger $ξ_{DL}$ than W-based SOT systems with more robust perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and compatibility with 400$^\circ$C annealing. Leveraging these advantages, we integrate the Ta/W system into 3-terminal SOT-MTJ devices, showing a level of performance similar to that of W-based systems. Our results show that orbital physics can be easily integrated into SOT-MTJ systems, offering a viable strategy to enhance SOT-MRAM efficiency. In addition, we propose and demonstrate a proof-of-concept for vertical non-local switching of SOT-MTJ using orbital torques, simplifying bottom-pinned SOT-MRAM fabrication.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2605_27215
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Orbital and Spin-Orbit Torque Interplay in Ta/W-based Magnetic Tunnel Junctions with Vertical Non-local Switching
Biagi, Marco
Capriata, Corrado C. M.
Senapati, K. Subham
Koll, Ioannis Trikoilis
Bouchard, Corentin
Sousa, Ricardo C.
Hutin, Louis
Viala, Bernard
Garello, Kevin
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Applied Physics
Spin-orbit torque (SOT) enables ultra-fast, energy-efficient magnetization switching, making it a promising mechanism for introducing MRAMs for cache memory applications. However, current SOT-MRAM devices face write efficiency limitations, with charge-to-spin conversion ($ξ_{DL}$) reaching $\sim$ 45\%, far below the projected $\sim$ 80\% needed to comply with the current delivery of advanced transistor nodes. Recent advances in orbital current physics, evidenced in a wide class of materials, offer a path to enhance $ξ_{DL}$. Here, we study the Ta(3-30 nm)\slash W(1-4 nm) system, revealing a large additional spin-orbit torque contribution arising from Ta, a four-fold increase compared to the spin Hall effect in Ta alone, attributed to the orbital Hall contribution. This system exhibits larger $ξ_{DL}$ than W-based SOT systems with more robust perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and compatibility with 400$^\circ$C annealing. Leveraging these advantages, we integrate the Ta/W system into 3-terminal SOT-MTJ devices, showing a level of performance similar to that of W-based systems. Our results show that orbital physics can be easily integrated into SOT-MTJ systems, offering a viable strategy to enhance SOT-MRAM efficiency. In addition, we propose and demonstrate a proof-of-concept for vertical non-local switching of SOT-MTJ using orbital torques, simplifying bottom-pinned SOT-MRAM fabrication.
title Orbital and Spin-Orbit Torque Interplay in Ta/W-based Magnetic Tunnel Junctions with Vertical Non-local Switching
topic Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Applied Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.27215