A Diode-Enhanced Scheme for Giant Magnetoresistance Amplification and Reconfigurable Logic

Jiang Nan,Yue Zhang,Weisheng Zhao,Youguang Zhang,Shaohua Yan,Guanda Wang,Zhenyi Zheng,Zhizhong Zhang,Kun Zhang,Qunwen Leng

doi:10.1109/access.2020.2993460

Abstract

Magnetoresistance (MR) effects have been intensively investigated and widely recognized as an effective path for realizing information sensing, storage, and processing. In particular, giant MR (GMR) effect discovered in ferromagnetic/nonmagnetic multilayers or junctions exhibits high magnetic-field sensitivity and has been successfully applied in magnetic sensors and hard disk drive (HDD) read heads. However, the relatively small MR ratio becomes the Achilles' Heel for its further application in high-reliability electronic systems. In this paper, we propose a scheme to amplify the GMR effect of a multilayer strip by utilizing the nonlinear transport property of a diode. MR ratio up to 6947% is obtained with a magnetic field as small as 50 Oe. A theoretical model is established to describe the amplification behavior and various factors influencing MR ratio are experimentally analyzed. Based on this scheme, reliable logic functions have been carried out, which can be reconfigured by changing the working current. Our work can be extended to enhance the MR effect of any two-terminal MR device and has the potential to build emerging high-performance computing systems.

Highlights

Magnetoresistance (MR) effects [1] have shown unprecedented vitalities in information sensing, storage, and processing by providing advantages of non-volatility, high speed, and high density
A number of applications based on MR effect have been proposed, such as sensors for magnetic field, current or angle [2]–[7], hard disk drive (HDD) read heads [8], magnetic random-access memory (MRAM) [9]–[12], and in-memory computation systems [13]–[18], many of which have been developed into commercial products
The traditional MR effects based on electrons and holes in semiconductor materials, such as Si and InSb [26]–[30], exhibit large MR in simple structures, their MR ratios are negligible in modest magnetic field

Summary

Introduction

Magnetoresistance (MR) effects [1] have shown unprecedented vitalities in information sensing, storage, and processing by providing advantages of non-volatility, high speed, and high density. Such as high-performance computing, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Internet of Things (IoT), put forward higher demands from different hierarchies. The traditional MR effects based on electrons and holes in semiconductor materials, such as Si and InSb [26]–[30], exhibit large MR in simple structures, their MR ratios are negligible in modest magnetic field.

Results

Discussion

Conclusion