Integration platform for optical switching of magnetic elements

E. K. Sobolewska; J. Pelloux-Prayer; H. Becker; G. Li; C. S. Davies; C. J. Krückel; L. Avilés Félix; A. Olivier; R. C. Sousa; I. L. Prejbeanu; A. I. Kiriliouk; D. Van Thourhout; T. Rasing; F. Moradi; M. J. R. Heck

doi:10.1117/12.2567662

31 August 2020 Integration platform for optical switching of magnetic elements

E. K. Sobolewska, J. Pelloux-Prayer, H. Becker, G. Li, C. S. Davies, C. J. Krückel, L. Avilés Félix, A. Olivier, R. C. Sousa, I. L. Prejbeanu, A. I. Kiriliouk, D. Van Thourhout, T. Rasing, F. Moradi, M. J. R. Heck

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 11461, Active Photonic Platforms XII; 114612B (2020) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2567662
Event: SPIE Nanoscience + Engineering, 2020, Online Only

Abstract

We present a detailed investigation of a novel platform for integration of spintronic memory elements and a photonic network, for future ultrafast and energy-efficient memory. We designed and fabricated magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structures based on (Tb/Co)x5 multilayer stack with optically switchable magnetization. Optical single-pulse measurements allowed us to estimate the value of the stray field present in the parallel configuration, which prevents the structure from all-optical switching. We performed numerical calculations based on the Finite Difference Time Domain method and ellipsometry measurements of (Tb/Co)_x5 to compute the absorption by the MTJ structure. Simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental measurements, where we implemented a thermal model to estimate effective absorption in the pillar. These estimations showed up to 14% absorption of the incident optical power in 300-nm-wide MTJ. Moreover, we designed and realized an integrated optical network with focusing structures to efficiently guide and couple the light into the MTJs. We show a chain of necessary steps to obtain the threshold value of the switching energy, and our results presenting a path forward for full system integration of optically switchable MRAM technology.

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E. K. Sobolewska, J. Pelloux-Prayer, H. Becker, G. Li, C. S. Davies, C. J. Krückel, L. Avilés Félix, A. Olivier, R. C. Sousa, I. L. Prejbeanu, A. I. Kiriliouk, D. Van Thourhout, T. Rasing, F. Moradi, and M. J. R. Heck "Integration platform for optical switching of magnetic elements", Proc. SPIE 11461, Active Photonic Platforms XII, 114612B (31 August 2020); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2567662

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