Spin torque switching in nanopillars with antiferromagnetic reference layer

Spin-transfer-torque induced switching is investigated in 200 nm diameter circularly shaped, perpendicular magnetized nanopillars. A synthetic antiferromagnet, consisting of two Co/Ni multilayers coupled anti-ferromagnetically across a Ru layer, is used as a reference layer to minimize the dipolar field on the free layer. The free layer is a single 4x[Co/Ni] multilayer. The use of Pt and Pd was avoided to lower the spin-orbit scattering in magnetic layers and intrinsic damping in the free layer, and therefore, reduce the critical current required for spin-transfer-torque switching. The intrinsic Gilbert damping of a continuous 4[Co/Ni] multilayer film was measured by ferromagnetic resonance to be alpha = 0.022, which is significantly lower than in Pt or Pd based magnetic multilayers. In zero magnetic field the critical current required to switch the free layer from the parallel to antiparallel alignment is 5.2 mA, and from antiparallel to parallel alignment is 4.9 mA. Given the volume of the free layer, V_FL = 1.011022 m3, the switching efficiency, I_c=(V_FL/µ0H_c), is 5.281020 A/Tm^3, twice as efficient as any previously reported device with a similar structure