An array of exchange biased spin-valve giant-magnetoresistance nanopillars was fabricated and the current I dependence of the resistance R was investigated using an electrically conducting atomic-force microscope (AFM) probe contact at room temperature. We observed current induced switching in a MnIr/CoFe/Cu/CoFe/NiFe nanopillar using the AFM probe contact. Current-driven switching using nanoprobe contact is a powerful method for developing nonvolatile and rewritable magnetic memory with high density.
David Atienza Alonso, Alexandre Sébastien Julien Levisse, Marco Antonio Rios, Shikhar Tuli