  Magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) are elementary units of magnetic memory
devices. For high-speed and low-power data storage and processing applications,
fast reversal by an ultrashort laser pulse is extremely important. We
demonstrate optical switching of Tb/Comultilayer-based nanoscale MTJs by
combining optical writing and electrical read-out methods. A 90 fs-long laser
pulse switches the magnetization of the storage layer (SL). The change in
magnetoresistance between the SL and a reference layer (RL) is probed
electrically across the tunnel barrier. Single-shot switching is demonstrated
by varying the cell diameter from 300 nm to 20 nm. The anisotropy,
magnetostatic coupling, and switching probability exhibit cell-size dependence.
By suitable association of laser fluence and magnetic field, successive
commutation between high-resistance and low-resistance states is achieved. The
switching dynamics in a continuous film is probed with the magneto-optical Kerr
effect technique. Our experimental findings provide strong support for the
growing interest in ultrafast spintronic devices.
