Spin-transfer switching in MgO magnetic tunnel junction nanostructures

Spin-transfer driven switching was observed in MgO based magnetic tunnelling junctions (MTJ) with tunnelling magnetoresistance ratio of up to 160% and the average intrinsic switching current density (J_c0) down to 2 MA/cm², which are the best known results reported in spin-transfer switched MTJ nanostructures. Based on a comparison of results both from MgO and AlO_x MTJs, further switching current decrease via MgO dual structures with two pinned layers is discussed.