Spin-torque switching window, thermal stability, and material parameters of MgO tunnel junctions

We study the use of in-plane magnetized free layers with artificially lowered effective magnetization, in the context of spin-torque random access memories with magnetic tunnel junctions. We determine the field-voltage window for direct overwrite switching and thermal stability. We relate them to the magnetic constants extracted from the telegraph noise and high frequency noise exhibited by the junctions under specific conditions. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3576937]