Straintronics-based magnetic tunneling junction: Dynamic and static behavior analysis and material investigation

We theoretically study the dynamic and static effects of mechanical stress on a straintronics device that includes a piezoelectric film combined with a magnetic tunneling junction. The inverse magnetostriction effect is studied in detail by realizing the varying magnetic susceptibility of the nanomagnet under stress. A dynamic model is developed based on the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert (LLG) equation, which provides a platform to simulate the magnetization vector's behavior, critical flipping voltage, and delay properties. Furthermore, by converting the LLG equation into a 2nd order damping differential equation, we develop a proximate approach. This approach predicts the dynamic behavior of the magnetization vector and its dependency on material properties and applied voltage across the device without using sophisticated numerical calculations of the LLG model. Different dynamic and static material properties are observed by simulating five common magnetostrictive materials, including a newly discovered alloy, Galfenol. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.