Molecule Induced Strong Exchange Coupling between Ferromagnetic Electrodes of a Magnetic Tunnel Junction

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that organometallic molecular clusters can significantly enhance exchange coupling in magnetic tunnel junctions, potentially enabling advanced molecule-based quantum computing devices.

Contribution

It reveals how molecular channels can be used to control and strengthen exchange coupling in magnetic tunnel junctions, a novel approach in spintronics.

Findings

OMCs strongly increased magnetic coupling.

Hysteresis curve transformed into linear.

Magnetic contrast disappeared in MFM images.

Abstract

Multilayer edge molecular spintronics device (MEMSD) approach can produce novel logic and memory units for the computers. MEMSD are produced by bridging the molecular channels across the insulator, in the exposed edge region(s) of a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ). The bridged molecular channels start serving as the dominant exchange coupling medium between the two ferromagnetic electrodes of a MTJ. Present study focus on the effect of molecule enhanced exchange coupling on the magnetic properties of the MTJ. This paper shows that organometallic molecular clusters (OMCs) strongly increased the magnetic coupling between the two ferromagnetic electrodes. SQUID magnetometer showed that OMCs transformed the typical hysteresis magnetization curve of a Co/NiFe/AlOx/NiFe MTJ into linear one. Ferromagnetic resonance studies showed that OMC bridges affected the two fundamental resonance peaks of the Co/NiFe/AlOx/NiFe MTJ. According to magnetic force microscopy, OMCs caused the disappearance of magnetic contrast from the Co/NiFe/AlOx/NiFe tunnel junction area. These three independent and complimentary experiments, suggested the development of extremely strong interlayer exchange coupling. This work delineated a practical route to control the exchange coupling between ferromagnetic electrodes. Ability to tailor magnetic coupling can lead to the development of molecule based quantum computation device architecture.