Device Modeling of MgO-Barrier Tunneling Magnetoresistors for Hybrid Spintronic-CMOS

Spintronic sensors, which are based on the tunneling-magnetoresistive (TMR) effect, have been utilized in detecting low-magnetic fields. However, still no computer-based model of these devices is available to integrated circuit designer to implement them in a hybrid spintronic-CMOS system. We developed a finite-element method (FEM)-based model of a MgO-barrier TMR device in COMSOL Multiphysics. The parameters of this model were extracted from the state-of-the-art fabrication and experimental data. Results were compared with respect to the model geometry and the used material. The proposed TMR sensor model offers a linear response with a high TMR ratio of 233% at 10-mV power supply. The model was exported to Cadence Spectre to create a compact model using Verilog-A language. The developed sensor model was simulated with its analog front end in the same environment. This model provided a reliable benchmark for modeling of the future hybrid spintronic-CMOS developments.