Ultrafast Switching and Selective Data Writing Through Voltage-Gated Spin-Orbit Torque in Perpendicular Magnetic Tunnel Junction Arrays

Spin-orbit torque magnetic random-access memory (SOT-MRAM) exhibits substantial promise as a candidate for next-generation high-performance memory technologies. Ultrafast switching and high density are essential for the practical application of SOT-MRAM. In this paper, we experimentally demonstrate SOT switching in W-based perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with a diameter of 80 nm. Our experiments show that W-based MTJs maintain reliable switching under nanosecond pulses. Dynamic switching experiments reveal that ultrafast switching with an incubation time of 0.3 ns and a switching time of 0.3 ns can be achieved. Furthermore, when a gate voltage of 1 V is applied, the SOT switching power consumption is reduced by 76% owing to the voltage-controlled magnetic anisotropy (VCMA) effect. Subsequently, we fabricate a memory array incorporating multiple MTJs on a shared W strip to improve storage density. Selective data writing within the MTJ array is demonstrated with voltage-gated SOT (VGSOT) switching, achieving a write error rate below 6.7×10<sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">-5</sup>. These findings showcase the superior capabilities of VGSOT devices and emphasize their promising potential for MRAM applications.