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Field-Free Spin-Orbit Torque Switching Enabled by the Interlayer Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya Interaction
Wenqing He1,2, Caihua Wan1,3, Cuixiu Zheng4
1Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
Nano Letters
|July 18, 2022
Summary
Researchers discovered an intrinsic interlayer chiral interaction in Pt/Co multilayers, enabling field-free switching of perpendicular magnetization. This spin-orbit torque switching method is crucial for developing practical spin-orbit torque magnetic random-access memory (SOT-MRAM).
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Spintronics
Background:
- Spin-orbit torque (SOT) enables field-free switching of magnetic structures, crucial for advanced memory devices like SOT-MRAM.
- Current SOT-MRAM technologies require simple, compatible structures for practical application.
- Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy is essential for high-density data storage.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate novel structures for field-free SOT switching.
- To explore the potential of Pt/Co multilayers and their synthetic antiferromagnetic counterparts for SOT-MRAM applications.
- To identify and utilize intrinsic chiral interactions for efficient magnetization switching.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication and characterization of Pt/Co multilayer and synthetic antiferromagnetic structures.
- Experimental investigation of magnetization dynamics under spin current.
- Application of a current parallel to the interlayer DMI eigenvector for switching.
Main Results:
- Observation of an intrinsic interlayer Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya Interaction (DMI) in the studied structures.
- Successful field-free switching of perpendicular magnetization using a current-induced spin-orbit torque.
- Demonstration of SOT switching enabled by interlayer DMI in Pt/Co based systems.
Conclusions:
- The interlayer DMI effect in Pt/Co multilayers and their SAF counterparts provides a viable mechanism for field-free SOT switching.
- This SOT switching scheme offers a promising pathway for the development of practical perpendicular SOT-MRAM devices.
- The findings open new possibilities for other spintronic devices relying on efficient spin-orbit torque phenomena.
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