Researchers develop world’s fastest magnetic tunnel junction that is switched by light pulses

Researchers from the University of Minnesota developed a magnetic tunnel junction that is switched by using a short pulse of light. The switch operation takes only one trillionth of a second – which makes this the world’s fastest magnetic tunnel junction.

To create this device, the researchers used ITO to create a transparent electrode on top of an ally made from called gadolinium, iron and cobalt. This material is already known to be switchable using light pulses.