Temperature dependence of intrinsic critical current in perpendicular easy axis CoFeB/MgO magnetic tunnel junctions

Abstract

Current induced magnetization switching in CoFeB/MgO-based magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with a perpendicular easy axis is studied above room temperature. The intrinsic critical current IC0 of the MTJs decreases with increasing temperature. From a vector-network-analyzer ferromagnetic resonance measurement with a heating system, temperature dependence of magnetic anisotropy and damping constant is evaluated. We find that the reduction of IC0 at elevated temperature is mainly due to a decrease in magnetic anisotropy. A slight increase in the damping constant with temperature rise is also observed, consistent with the mechanism considering electron scattering through the inter-band transition.