Effect of write field rise times on the switching thresholds of pseudo spin valve memory cells

A number of experiments were performed on submicron, giant magnetoresistanc e, pseudospin valve, memory elements which showed that the write thresholds are significantly reduced if the rise time of the word write pulses are le ss than 2 ns and the elements are in the proper initial states. Tested elem ents had cell widths of 0.3 and 0.17 mu m and total lengths of about 1.8 mu m. The active lengths were 1.0 to 1.2 mu m. Rise times used in the tests w ere 1.25, 2, and 4 ns. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979( 99)30108-0].