Ultrafast switching in a synthetic antiferromagnetic magnetic random-access memory device

The dynamics of a synthetic antiferromagnet (a metallic trilayer) have been explored and are shown to exhibit ultrafast switching on a time scale of tens of ps. This conclusion is based on first-principles, atomistic spin dynamics simulations. The simulations are performed at finite temperature, as well as at T = 0 K (the macrospin limit), and we observe a marked temperature dependence of the switching phenomenon. It is shown that, to reach very high switching speeds, it is important that the two ferromagnetic components of the synthetic antiferromagnet have oppositely directed external fields to one another. Then a complex collaboration between precession switching of an internal exchange field and the damping switching of the external field occurs, which considerably accelerates the magnetization dynamics. We discuss a possible application of this fast switching as a magnetic random access memory device, which has as a key component intrinsic antiferromagnetic couplings and an applied Oersted field.