6533b823fe1ef96bd127ea14
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Electrical switching of perpendicular magnetization in a single ferromagnetic layer
Bertrand DupéJing ZhouWeinan LinHan WangRui GuoChangjian LiJairo SinovaHerng Yau YoongGan Moog ChowLiang LiuChenghang ZhouTiejun ZhouJinyu DengXiufeng HanJihang YuJingsheng ChenJ. ŽEleznýRafael González-hernándezRafael González-hernándezsubject
Materials scienceCondensed matter physicsSpintronics02 engineering and technology021001 nanoscience & nanotechnologyEpitaxy01 natural sciencesMagnetizationFerromagnetismPhase (matter)0103 physical sciencesThin film010306 general physics0210 nano-technologyLayer (electronics)Current densitydescription
We report on the efficient spin-orbit torque (SOT) switching in a single ferromagnetic layer induced by a new type of inversion asymmetry, the composition gradient. The SOT of 6- to 60-nm epitaxial FePt thin films with a $L{1}_{0}$ phase is investigated. The magnetization of the FePt single layer can be reversibly switched by applying electrical current with a moderate current density. Different from previously reported SOTs which either decreases with or does not change with the film thickness, the SOT in FePt increases with the film thickness. We found the SOT in FePt can be attributed to the composition gradient along the film normal direction. A linear correlation between the SOT and the composition gradient is observed. This Rapid Communication introduces a platform to engineer large SOTs for lower-power spintronics.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-06-02 | Physical Review B |