Electric-Field Tunable Magnetic-Field-Sensor Based On Cofeb/Mgo Magnetic Tunnel Junction

We demonstrate an electric-field-tunable magnetic-field-sensor based on CoFeB/MgO magnetic tunnel junction with interfacial perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA). From the dynamic lock-in measurements, we show that an applied electric-field induces a peak in sensor voltage (V-SENSOR) around the free layer magnetization switching regime in response to external a. c. magnetic field. Detailed measurements of V-SENSOR as functions of free layer thickness, a.c. magnetic field amplitude and frequency reveal that the sensitivity of the sensor can be up to 80.8 V cm(-1) Oe(-1) under -0.5 V, which can be controlled by the strength and polarity of the applied electric-field via electric-field controlled PMA. We discuss the origin of our observations based on the oscillations in the tunnel magnetoresistance, and this may trigger the development of magnetoelectrically controlled magnetic-field-sensor based on magnetic tunnel junctions. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.