Thermal stability and spin-transfer switchings in MgO-based magnetic tunnel junctions with ferromagnetically and antiferromagnetically coupled synthetic free layers

We prepared MgO-based magnetic tunnel junctions having a CoFeB/Ru/CoFeB synthetic free layer in which magnetizations of the CoFeB layers were ferromagnetically coupled (F-coupled Sy) or antiferromagnetically coupled (AF-coupled Sy). We studied spin-transfer switchings to evaluate their thermal stability (Δ0=KV/kBT) and intrinsic switching current density (JC0). Although the free layers of two types showed nearly equal JC0, the Δ0 of F-coupled Sy was observed to be twice that of AF-coupled Sy. This difference is attributable to the shape magnetic anisotropy of the free-layer cells. Results show that F-coupled Sy is superior to AF-coupled Sy for memory applications.