Giant orbital-magnon conversion driven perpendicular magnetization switching

Area of Science:

• Solid State Physics
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Novel information carriers beyond electron charge (spin, orbital, magnon) are key for beyond-Moore technologies.
• Efficient interconversion and control of these degrees of freedom are crucial for nanoelectronic devices.
• Direct coupling between orbital angular momentum (L) and magnons (M), and L-M conversion for magnetization switching, remained unachieved.

Purpose of the Study:

• To experimentally demonstrate orbital angular momentum-to-magnon (L-M) conversion.
• To achieve efficient room-temperature magnetization switching via the novel L-M conversion mechanism.
• To establish a direct link between orbitronics and magnonics.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of an orbital metal/antiferromagnetic insulator bilayer heterostructure.
• Experimental investigation of L-M conversion at room temperature.
• Demonstration of perpendicular magnetization switching in a CoFeB ferromagnetic layer.

Main Results:

• Successful experimental demonstration of L-M conversion in the fabricated bilayer at room temperature.
• Achieved L-M conversion efficiency over an order of magnitude higher than in traditional orbital systems.
• Efficient room-temperature perpendicular magnetization switching mediated by the L-M conversion mechanism.

Conclusions:

• Established a direct coupling and conversion pathway between orbital angular momentum and magnons.
• Demonstrated a new mechanism for efficient room-temperature magnetization switching.
• Opened a new platform for developing advanced nano-devices based on orbital-driven magnonic phenomena.