Locally reconfigurable exchange bias for tunable spintronics by pulsed current injection

Abstract

Unidirectional magnetic anisotropy induced by exchange bias (EB) between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic layers is of paramount importance in various spintronic devices. Traditional setting and optimization of EB involves cooling through the Néel temperature of the antiferromagnets under biasing field in vacuum furnace which takes hours of time and could not realize localized control of EB. Here, we report an alternative process to configure EB by injection of microsecond current impulse for locally heating of the heterostructure. 180‐degree exchange bias switching has been realized in both anisotropic magnetoresistance and giant magnetoresistance units, resulting in tunable magnetic field sensing functionalities. This mechanism for pinpoint control of EB provides more freedom for design and optimization of various sensing and logic spintronics.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.