All-antiferromagnetic electrically controlled memory on silicon featuring large tunneling magnetoresistance

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates silicon-compatible, electrically switchable antiferromagnetic tunnel junctions with large room-temperature tunneling magnetoresistance, advancing spintronic memory technology.

Contribution

It introduces the first silicon-compatible three-terminal AFM tunnel junctions based on PtMn3 with electrical control and large TMR at room temperature.

Findings

Electrical switching of AFM order achieved.

Large room-temperature TMR observed.

First-principles calculations explain TMR mechanism.

Abstract

Antiferromagnetic (AFM) materials are a pathway to spintronic memory and computing devices with unprecedented speed, energy efficiency, and bit density. Realizing this potential requires AFM devices with simultaneous electrical writing and reading of information, which are also compatible with established silicon-based manufacturing. Recent experiments have shown tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) readout in epitaxial AFM tunnel junctions. However, these TMR structures were not grown using a silicon-compatible deposition process, and controlling their AFM order required external magnetic fields. Here we show three-terminal AFM tunnel junctions based on the noncollinear antiferromagnet PtMn3, sputter-deposited on silicon. The devices simultaneously exhibit electrical switching using electric currents, and electrical readout by a large room-temperature TMR effect. First-principles calculations explain the TMR in terms of the momentum-resolved spin-dependent tunneling conduction in tunnel junctions with noncollinear AFM electrodes.