Abstract
Magnetization dynamics induced by spin–orbit torques in a heavy-metal/ferromagnet can potentially be used to design low-power spintronics and logic devices. Recent computations have suggested that a strain-mediated spin–orbit torque (SOT) switching in magnetoelectric (ME) heterostructures is fast, energy-efficient, and permits a deterministic 180° magnetization switching. However, its experimental realization has remained elusive. Here, the coexistence of the strain-mediated ME coupling and the SOT in a CoFeB/Pt/ferroelectric hybrid structure is shown experimentally. The voltage-induced strain only slightly modifies the efficiency of SOT generation, but it gives rise to an effective magnetic anisotropy and rotates the magnetic easy axis which eliminates the incubation delay in current-induced magnetization switching. The phase field simulations show that the electric-field-induced effective magnetic anisotropy field can reduce the switching time approximately by a factor of three for SOT in-plane magnetization switching. It is anticipated that such strain-mediated ME-SOT hybrid structures may enable field-free, ultrafast magnetization switching.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 1806371 |
| Journal | Advanced Functional Materials |
| Volume | 29 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Feb 8 2019 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Chemistry(all)
- Materials Science(all)
- Condensed Matter Physics
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A Strain-Mediated Magnetoelectric-Spin-Torque Hybrid Structure. / Nan, Tianxiang; Hu, Jia Mian; Dai, Minyi; Emori, Satoru; Wang, Xinjun; Hu, Zhongqiang; Matyushov, Alexei; Chen, Long-qing; Sun, Nian.
In: Advanced Functional Materials, Vol. 29, No. 6, 1806371, 08.02.2019.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - A Strain-Mediated Magnetoelectric-Spin-Torque Hybrid Structure
AU - Nan, Tianxiang
AU - Hu, Jia Mian
AU - Dai, Minyi
AU - Emori, Satoru
AU - Wang, Xinjun
AU - Hu, Zhongqiang
AU - Matyushov, Alexei
AU - Chen, Long-qing
AU - Sun, Nian
PY - 2019/2/8
Y1 - 2019/2/8
N2 - Magnetization dynamics induced by spin–orbit torques in a heavy-metal/ferromagnet can potentially be used to design low-power spintronics and logic devices. Recent computations have suggested that a strain-mediated spin–orbit torque (SOT) switching in magnetoelectric (ME) heterostructures is fast, energy-efficient, and permits a deterministic 180° magnetization switching. However, its experimental realization has remained elusive. Here, the coexistence of the strain-mediated ME coupling and the SOT in a CoFeB/Pt/ferroelectric hybrid structure is shown experimentally. The voltage-induced strain only slightly modifies the efficiency of SOT generation, but it gives rise to an effective magnetic anisotropy and rotates the magnetic easy axis which eliminates the incubation delay in current-induced magnetization switching. The phase field simulations show that the electric-field-induced effective magnetic anisotropy field can reduce the switching time approximately by a factor of three for SOT in-plane magnetization switching. It is anticipated that such strain-mediated ME-SOT hybrid structures may enable field-free, ultrafast magnetization switching.
AB - Magnetization dynamics induced by spin–orbit torques in a heavy-metal/ferromagnet can potentially be used to design low-power spintronics and logic devices. Recent computations have suggested that a strain-mediated spin–orbit torque (SOT) switching in magnetoelectric (ME) heterostructures is fast, energy-efficient, and permits a deterministic 180° magnetization switching. However, its experimental realization has remained elusive. Here, the coexistence of the strain-mediated ME coupling and the SOT in a CoFeB/Pt/ferroelectric hybrid structure is shown experimentally. The voltage-induced strain only slightly modifies the efficiency of SOT generation, but it gives rise to an effective magnetic anisotropy and rotates the magnetic easy axis which eliminates the incubation delay in current-induced magnetization switching. The phase field simulations show that the electric-field-induced effective magnetic anisotropy field can reduce the switching time approximately by a factor of three for SOT in-plane magnetization switching. It is anticipated that such strain-mediated ME-SOT hybrid structures may enable field-free, ultrafast magnetization switching.
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U2 - 10.1002/adfm.201806371
DO - 10.1002/adfm.201806371
M3 - Article
VL - 29
JO - Advanced Functional Materials
JF - Advanced Functional Materials
SN - 1616-301X
IS - 6
M1 - 1806371
ER -