Enhanced spin-orbit torque via interface engineering in Pt/CoFeB/MgO heterostructures

Hae Yeon Lee, Sanghoon Kim, June Young Park, Young Wan Oh, Seung Young Park, Wooseung Ham, Yoshinori Kotani, Tetsuya Nakamura, Motohiro Suzuki, Teruo Ono, Kyung Jin Lee, Byong Guk Park

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

42 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Spin-orbit torque facilitates efficient magnetisation switching via an in-plane current in perpendicularly magnetised heavy-metal/ferromagnet heterostructures. The efficiency of spin-orbit-torque-induced switching is determined by the charge-to-spin conversion arising from either bulk or interfacial spin-orbit interactions or both. Here, we demonstrate that the spin-orbit torque and the resultant switching efficiency in Pt/CoFeB systems are significantly enhanced by an interfacial modification involving Ti insertion between the Pt and CoFeB layers. Spin pumping and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism experiments reveal that this enhancement is due to an additional interface-generated spin current of the non-magnetic interface and/or improved spin transparency achieved by suppressing the proximity-induced moment in the Pt layer. Our results demonstrate that interface engineering affords an effective approach to improve spin-orbit torque and thereby magnetisation switching efficiency.

Original languageEnglish
Article number031110
JournalAPL Materials
Volume7
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2019 Mar 1

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Materials Science(all)
  • Engineering(all)

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