Spin currents and spin-orbit torques in ferromagnetic trilayers

Seung Heon C. Baek; Vivek P. Amin; Young Wan Oh; Gyungchoon Go; Seung Jae Lee; Geun Hee Lee; Kab Jin Kim; M. D. Stiles; Byong Guk Park; Kyung Jin Lee

doi:10.1038/s41563-018-0041-5

Spin currents and spin-orbit torques in ferromagnetic trilayers

Seung Heon C. Baek, Vivek P. Amin, Young Wan Oh, Gyungchoon Go, Seung Jae Lee, Geun Hee Lee, Kab Jin Kim, M. D. Stiles, Byong Guk Park, Kyung Jin Lee

Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

274 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Magnetic torques generated through spin-orbit coupling^1-8 promise energy-efficient spintronic devices. For applications, it is important that these torques switch films with perpendicular magnetizations without an external magnetic field^9-14. One suggested approach¹⁵ to enable such switching uses magnetic trilayers in which the torque on the top magnetic layer can be manipulated by changing the magnetization of the bottom layer. Spin currents generated in the bottom magnetic layer or its interfaces transit the spacer layer and exert a torque on the top magnetization. Here we demonstrate field-free switching in such structures and show that its dependence on the bottom-layer magnetization is not consistent with the anticipated bulk effects¹⁵. We describe a mechanism for spin-current generation^16,17 at the interface between the bottom layer and the spacer layer, which gives torques that are consistent with the measured magnetization dependence. This other-layer-generated spin-orbit torque is relevant to energy-efficient control of spintronic devices.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	509-513
Number of pages	5
Journal	Nature Materials
Volume	17
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-018-0041-5
Publication status	Published - 2018 Jun 1

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Chemistry(all)
Materials Science(all)
Condensed Matter Physics
Mechanics of Materials
Mechanical Engineering

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10.1038/s41563-018-0041-5

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title = "Spin currents and spin-orbit torques in ferromagnetic trilayers",

abstract = "Magnetic torques generated through spin-orbit coupling1-8 promise energy-efficient spintronic devices. For applications, it is important that these torques switch films with perpendicular magnetizations without an external magnetic field9-14. One suggested approach15 to enable such switching uses magnetic trilayers in which the torque on the top magnetic layer can be manipulated by changing the magnetization of the bottom layer. Spin currents generated in the bottom magnetic layer or its interfaces transit the spacer layer and exert a torque on the top magnetization. Here we demonstrate field-free switching in such structures and show that its dependence on the bottom-layer magnetization is not consistent with the anticipated bulk effects15. We describe a mechanism for spin-current generation16,17 at the interface between the bottom layer and the spacer layer, which gives torques that are consistent with the measured magnetization dependence. This other-layer-generated spin-orbit torque is relevant to energy-efficient control of spintronic devices.",

author = "Baek, {Seung Heon C.} and Amin, {Vivek P.} and Oh, {Young Wan} and Gyungchoon Go and Lee, {Seung Jae} and Lee, {Geun Hee} and Kim, {Kab Jin} and Stiles, {M. D.} and Park, {Byong Guk} and Lee, {Kyung Jin}",

note = "Funding Information: The authors acknowledge K.-W. Kim, H.-W. Lee and J. Sinova for discussion. This work was supported by the Creative Materials Discovery Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2015M3D1A1070465). B.-G.P. acknowledges financial support from the NRF (NRF-2017R1A2A2A05069760), K.-J.L. from the NRF (NRF-2017R1A2B2006119) and K.-J.K. from the NRF (NRF-2016R1A5A1008184). V.P.A. acknowledges support under the Cooperative Research Agreement between the University of Maryland and the National Institute of Standards and Technology Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Award 70NANB14H209, through the University of Maryland. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2018 The Author(s).",

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doi = "10.1038/s41563-018-0041-5",

language = "English",

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T1 - Spin currents and spin-orbit torques in ferromagnetic trilayers

AU - Baek, Seung Heon C.

AU - Amin, Vivek P.

AU - Oh, Young Wan

AU - Go, Gyungchoon

AU - Lee, Seung Jae

AU - Lee, Geun Hee

AU - Kim, Kab Jin

AU - Stiles, M. D.

AU - Park, Byong Guk

AU - Lee, Kyung Jin

N1 - Funding Information: The authors acknowledge K.-W. Kim, H.-W. Lee and J. Sinova for discussion. This work was supported by the Creative Materials Discovery Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2015M3D1A1070465). B.-G.P. acknowledges financial support from the NRF (NRF-2017R1A2A2A05069760), K.-J.L. from the NRF (NRF-2017R1A2B2006119) and K.-J.K. from the NRF (NRF-2016R1A5A1008184). V.P.A. acknowledges support under the Cooperative Research Agreement between the University of Maryland and the National Institute of Standards and Technology Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Award 70NANB14H209, through the University of Maryland. Publisher Copyright: © 2018 The Author(s).

PY - 2018/6/1

Y1 - 2018/6/1

N2 - Magnetic torques generated through spin-orbit coupling1-8 promise energy-efficient spintronic devices. For applications, it is important that these torques switch films with perpendicular magnetizations without an external magnetic field9-14. One suggested approach15 to enable such switching uses magnetic trilayers in which the torque on the top magnetic layer can be manipulated by changing the magnetization of the bottom layer. Spin currents generated in the bottom magnetic layer or its interfaces transit the spacer layer and exert a torque on the top magnetization. Here we demonstrate field-free switching in such structures and show that its dependence on the bottom-layer magnetization is not consistent with the anticipated bulk effects15. We describe a mechanism for spin-current generation16,17 at the interface between the bottom layer and the spacer layer, which gives torques that are consistent with the measured magnetization dependence. This other-layer-generated spin-orbit torque is relevant to energy-efficient control of spintronic devices.

AB - Magnetic torques generated through spin-orbit coupling1-8 promise energy-efficient spintronic devices. For applications, it is important that these torques switch films with perpendicular magnetizations without an external magnetic field9-14. One suggested approach15 to enable such switching uses magnetic trilayers in which the torque on the top magnetic layer can be manipulated by changing the magnetization of the bottom layer. Spin currents generated in the bottom magnetic layer or its interfaces transit the spacer layer and exert a torque on the top magnetization. Here we demonstrate field-free switching in such structures and show that its dependence on the bottom-layer magnetization is not consistent with the anticipated bulk effects15. We describe a mechanism for spin-current generation16,17 at the interface between the bottom layer and the spacer layer, which gives torques that are consistent with the measured magnetization dependence. This other-layer-generated spin-orbit torque is relevant to energy-efficient control of spintronic devices.

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JO - Nature Materials

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Spin currents and spin-orbit torques in ferromagnetic trilayers

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