The search for efficient spin conversion in Bi has attracted great attention in spin-orbitronics. In the present work, we employ spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance to investigate spin conversion in Bi/Ni80Fe20(Py) bilayer films with continuously varying Bi thickness. In contrast with previous studies, sizable spin-transfer torque (i.e., a sizable spin-conversion effect) is observed in Bi/Py bilayer film. Considering the absence of spin conversion in Bi/yttrium-iron-garnet bilayers and the enhancement of spin conversion in Bi-doped Cu, the present results indicate the importance of material combinations to generate substantial spin-conversion effects in Bi.
Spin-orbit torques in ferromagnetic (FM)/non-magnetic (NM) heterostructures offer more energy-efficient means to realize spin-logic devices; however, their strengths are determined by the heterostructure interface. This work examines crystal orientation impact on the spin-orbit torque efficiency in different Fe/Pd bilayer systems. Spin torque ferromagnetic measurements evidence that the damping-like torque efficiency is higher in epitaxial than in polycrystalline bilayer structures while the field-like torque is negligible in all bilayer structures. The strength of the damping-like torque decr…
Spin-orbit torques in bilayers of ferromagnetic and nonmagnetic materials hold promise for energy efficient switching of magnetization in nonvolatile magnetic memories. Previously studied spin Hall and Rashba torques originate from spin-orbit interactions within the nonmagnetic material and at the bilayer interface, respectively. Here we report a spin-orbit torque that arises from planar Hall current in the ferromagnetic material of the bilayer and acts as either positive or negative magnetic damping. This planar Hall torque exhibits unusual biaxial symmetry in the plane defined by the applied…
Using the first-principles non-equilibrium Green's function technique with supercell disorder averaging, we study the influence of interfacial intermixing on the spin-orbit torque in Co$\mid$Pt bilayers. Intermixing is modeled by inserting one or more monolayers of a disordered CoPt alloy between Co and Pt. Dampinglike torque is moderately enhanced by interfacial intermixing, while the fieldlike torque, which is small for abrupt interfaces, is strongly enhanced and becomes comparable to the dampinglike torque. The enhancement of the fieldlike torque is attributed to the interface between Co an…
Planar spin transport in disordered ultrathin magnetic bilayers comprising a ferromagnet and a normal metal (typically used for spin pumping, spin Seebeck and spin-orbit torque experiments) is investigated theoretically. Using a tight-binding model that treats extrinsic spin Hall effect, spin swapping and spin relaxation on equal footing, we show that the nature of spin-orbit coupled transport dramatically depends on ratio between the layers thickness $d$ and the mean free path $λ$. While spin Hall effect dominates in the diffusive limit ($d\ggλ$), spin swapping dominates in Knudsen regime ($d…
We present measurements of current-induced spin-orbit torques generated by NbSe$_2$, a fully-metallic transition-metal dichalcogenide material, made using the spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance (ST-FMR) technique with NbSe$_{2}$/Permalloy bilayers. In addition to the out-of-plane Oersted torque expected from current flow in the metallic NbSe$_{2}$ layer, we also observe an in-plane antidamping torque with torque conductivity $σ_{S} \approx 10^{3} (\hbar / 2e)$($Ω$m)$^{-1}$ and indications of a weak field-like contribution to the out-of-plane torque oriented opposite to the Oersted torque. Fur…
We report on the temperature and layer thickness variation of spin-orbit torques in perpendicularly magnetized W/CoFeB bilayers. Harmonic Hall voltage measurements reveal dissimilar temperature evolutions of longitudinal and transverse effective magnetic field components. The transverse effective field changes sign at 250 K for a 2 nm thick W buffer layer, indicating a much stronger contribution from interface spin-orbit interactions compared to, for example, Ta. Transmission electron microscopy measurements reveal that considerable interface mixing between W and CoFeB is primarily responsible…
Efficient control of magnetism with electric means is a central issue of current spintronics research, which opens an opportunity to design integrated spintronic devices. However, recent well-studied methods are mostly based on electric-current injection, and they are inevitably accompanied by considerable energy losses through Joule heating. Here we theoretically propose a way to exert spin torques into magnetic bilayer systems by application of electric voltages through taking advantage of the Rashba spin-orbit interaction. The torques resemble the well-known electric-current-induced torques…
Motivated by recent observations of unconventional out-of-plane dampinglike torque in \ch{WTe2}/Permalloy bilayer systems, we calculate the spin-orbit torque generated in two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD)-ferromagnet heterostructures using first-principles methods and linear response theory. Our numerical calculation of spin-orbit torques in \ch{WTe2}/Co and \ch{MoTe2}/Co heterostructures shows both conventional and novel dampinglike torkances (torque per electric field) with comparable magnitude, around $100~\hbar/2e~(\rm Ω\cdot cm)^{-1}$, for an electric field applied per…
Using a semiclassical approach that simultaneously incorporates the spin Hall effect (SHE), spin diffusion, quantum well states, and interface spin-orbit coupling (SOC), we address the interplay of these mechanisms as the origin of the in-plane current induced spin torque observed in the normal metal/ferromagnetic metal bilayer thin films. Focusing on the bilayers with a ferromagnet much thinner than its spin diffusion length, such as Pt/Co with $\sim 10$nm thickness, our approach addresses simultaneously the two contributions to the spin torque, namely the spin-transfer torque (SHE-STT) due t…
Oxygen incorporation has been reported to increase the current-induced spin-orbit torque in ferromagnetic heterostructures, but the underlying mechanism is still under active debate. Here, we report on an in-situ study of the oxygen exposure effect on spin-orbit torque in Pt/Co bilayers via controlled oxygen exposure, Co and Mg deposition, and electrical measurements in ultrahigh vacuum. We show that the oxygen exposure on Pt/Co indeed leads to an increase of spin-orbit torque, but the enhancement is not as large as those reported previously. Similar enhancement of spin-orbit torque is also ob…
Current-induced spin-orbit torques in Co$_2$FeAl/Pt ultrathin bilayers are studied using a magnetoresistive harmonic response technique, which distinguishes the dampinglike and fieldlike contributions. The presence of a temperature-dependent magnetic proximity effect is observed through the anomalous Hall and anisotropic magnetoresistances, which are enhanced at low temperatures for thin platinum thicknesses. The fieldlike torque efficiency decreases steadily as the temperature is lowered for all Pt thicknesses studied, which we propose is related to the influence of the magnetic proximity eff…
The thickness dependence of spin-orbit torque and magnetoresistance in ferromagnet/heavy-metal bilayers is studied using the first-principles non-equilibrium Green's function formalism combined with the Anderson disorder model. A systematic expansion in orthogonal vector spherical harmonics is used for the angular dependence of the torque. The damping-like torque in Co/Pt and Co/Au bilayers can be described as a sum of the spin-Hall contribution, which increases with thickness in agreement with the spin-diffusion model, and a comparable interfacial contribution. The magnetoconductance in the p…
Using the non-equilibrium Green's function technique, we calculate spin-orbit torques in a Mn$_2$Au/heavy-metal bilayer, where the heavy metal (HM) is W or Pt. Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in the bulk of Mn$_2$Au generates strong fieldlike torquance, which is parallel on the two sublattices and scales linearly with the conductivity, and a weaker dampinglike torquance that is antiparallel on the two sublattices. Interfaces with W or Pt generate parallel dampinglike torques of opposite signs that are similar in magnitude to those in ferromagnetic bilayers and similarly insensitive to disorder. The …
The angular dependence of spin-orbit torque in a disordered Co/Pt bilayer is calculated using a first-principles non-equilibrium Green's function formalism with an explicit supercell averaging over Anderson disorder. In addition to the usual dampinglike and fieldlike terms, the odd torque contains a sizeable planar Hall-like term $(\mathbf{m\cdot E})\mathbf{m}\times(\mathbf{z}\times\mathbf{m})$ whose contribution to current-induced damping is consistent with experimental observations. The dampinglike and planar Hall-like torquances depend weakly on disorder strength, while the fieldlike torqua…
We propose an experimental scheme to determine the spin-transfer torque efficiency excited by the spin-orbit interaction in ferromagnetic bilayers from the measurement of the longitudinal magnetoresistace. Solving a diffusive spin-transport theory with appropriate boundary conditions gives an analytical formula of the longitudinal charge current density. The longitudinal charge current has a term that is proportional to the square of the spin-transfer torque efficiency and that also depends on the ratio of the film thickness to the spin diffusion length of the ferromagnet. Extracting this cont…
Recent discoveries regarding current-induced spin-orbit torques produced by heavy-metal/ferromagnet and topological-insulator/ferromagnet bilayers provide the potential for dramatically-improved efficiency in the manipulation of magnetic devices. However, in experiments performed to date, spin-orbit torques have an important limitation -- the component of torque that can compensate magnetic damping is required by symmetry to lie within the device plane. This means that spin-orbit torques can drive the most current-efficient type of magnetic reversal (antidamping switching) only for magnetic de…
We investigated a possible correlation between spin Hall angles and exchange bias in Ni$_{81}$Fe$_{19}$/IrMn samples by performing spin torque ferromagnetic resonance measurements. This correlation is probed by patterning of Ni$_{81}$Fe$_{19}$/IrMn bilayers in different relative orientations with respect to the exchange bias direction. The measured voltage spectra allow a quantitative determination of spin Hall angles, which are independent of the orientation around 2.8\pm0.3%.
Thermally induced magnetization dynamics is currently a flourishing field of research due to its potential application in information technology. We study the paradigmatic system of a magnetic domain wall in a thermal gradient which is interacting with an adjacent superconductor. The spin-transfer torques arising in this system due to the combined action of the giant thermoelectric effect and the creation of equal-spin pairs in the superconductor are large enough to give rise to high domain wall velocities $10^3$ times larger than previously predicted.
In cavity quantum electrodynamics, the multiple reflections of a photon between two mirrors defining a cavity is exploited to enhance the light-coupling of an intra-cavity atom. We show that this paradigm for enhancing the interaction of a flying particle with a localized object can be generalized to spintronics based on van der Waals 2D magnets. Upon tunneling through a magnetic bilayer, we find the spin transfer torques per electron incidence can become orders of magnitude larger than $\hbar/2$, made possible by electron's multi-reflection path through the ferromagnetic monolayers as an inte…
Heterostructures utilizing topological insulators exhibit a remarkable spin-torque efficiency. However, the exact origin of the strong torque, in particular whether it stems from the spin-momentum locking of the topological surface states or rather from spin-Hall physics of the topological-insulator bulk remains unclear. Here, we explore a mechanism of spin-torque generation purely based on the topological surface states. We consider topological-insulator-based bilayers involving ferromagnetic metal (TI/FM) and magnetically doped topological insulators (TI/mdTI), respectively. By ascribing the…
In this work report unconventional sign change of field like spin orbit torque in ultra-thin Chromium(1.5nm-5nm)/Nickel(8nm) bi-layer. We performed standard spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance (ST-FMR) experiment in Cr/Ni bi-layer by passing radio frequency current and measuring DC voltage. We observe that when thickness of Cr layer is critically low (<6nm) spin orbit torque by Cr on Ni significantly increases. Most importantly the sign of field like torque is opposite to the Oersted field generated torque. To verify interracial nature of this torque, 2 nm thin Cu is inserted between Cr and Ni…
We present harmonic transverse voltage measurements of current-induced thermoelectric and spin-orbit torque (SOT) effects in ferromagnet/normal metal bilayers, in which thermal gradients produced by Joule heating and SOT coexist and give rise to ac transverse signals with comparable symmetry and magnitude. Based on the symmetry and field-dependence of the transverse resistance, we develop a consistent method to separate thermoelectric and SOT measurements. By addressing first ferromagnet/light metal bilayers with negligible spin-orbit coupling, we show that in-plane current injection induces a…
Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are promising materials for efficient generation of current-induced spin-orbit torques on an adjacent ferromagnetic layer. Numerous effects, both interfacial and bulk, have been put forward to explain the different torques previously observed. Thus far, however, there is no clear consensus on the microscopic origin underlying the spin-orbit torques observed in these TMD/ferromagnet bilayers. To shine light on the microscopic mechanisms at play, here we perform thickness dependent spin-orbit torque measurements on the semiconducting WSe$_{2}$/permalloy bi…
An applied electric current through a space-inversion asymmetric magnet induces spin-orbit torques (SOTs) on the magnetic moments, which holds much promise for future memory devices. We discuss general Green's function expressions suitable to compute the linear-response SOT in disordered ferromagnets. The SOT can be decomposed into an even and an odd component with respect to magnetization reversal, where in the limit of vanishing disorder the even SOT is given by the constant Berry curvature of the occupied states, while the odd part exhibits a divergence with respect to disorder strength. Wi…
The spin current can result in a spin-transfer torque in the normal-metal(NM)|ferromagnetic-insulator(FMI) or normal-metal(NM)|ferromagnetic-metal(FMM) bilayer. In the earlier study on this issue, the spin relaxations were ignored or introduced phenomenologically. In this paper, considering the FMM or FMI with spin relaxations described by a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian, we derive an effective spin-transfer torque and an effective spin mixing conductance in the non-Hermitian bilayer. The dependence of the effective spin mixing conductance on the system parameters (such as insulating gap, \textit{…
The spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance (ST-FMR) in a bilayer system consisting of a magnetic insulator such as Y3Fe5O12 and a normal metal with spin-orbit interaction such as Pt is addressed theoretically. We model the ST-FMR for all magnetization directions and in the presence of field-like spin-orbit torques based on the drift-diffusion spin model and quantum mechanical boundary conditions. ST-FMR experiments may expose crucial information about the spin-orbit coupling between currents and magnetization in the bilayers.
Finding efficient ways of manipulating magnetic bits is one of the core goals in spintronic research. Electrically-generated spin-orbit torques (SOTs) are good candidates for this and the search for materials capable of generating highly-efficient SOTs has gained a lot of traction in the recent years. While antiferromagnet/ferromagnet bilayer structures have been employed extensively for passive applications, e.g. by using exchange bias fields, their active properties are not yet widely employed. Here we show the presence of large interfacial SOTs in bilayer of a ferromagnet and the two-dimens…
Spin-orbit torque (SOT) induced by spin Hall and interfacial effects in heavy metal(HM)/ferromagnetic(FM) bilayers has recently been employed to switch the magnetization direction using in-plane current injection. In this paper, using the Keldysh Green's function approach and first principles electronic structure calculations we determine the Field-Like (FL) and Damping-Like (DL) components of the SOT for the HM/Co (HM = Pt, Pd) bilayers. Our approach yields the angular dependence of both the FL- and DL-SOT on the magnetization direction without assuming a priori their angular form. Decomposit…
We studied the effect of inserting 0.5 nm-thick spacer layers (Ti, V, Cr, Mo, W) at the Pt/Co interface on the spin-orbit torques, Hall effect, magnetoresistance, saturation magnetization, and magnetic anisotropy. We find that the damping-like spin-orbit torque decreases substantially for all samples with a spacer layer compared to the reference Pt/Co bilayer, consistently with the opposite sign of the atomic spin-orbit coupling constant of the spacer elements relative to Pt. The reduction of the damping-like torque is monotonic with atomic number for the isoelectronic 3d, 4d, and 5d elements,…
We theoretically investigate domain wall motion in an antiferromagnetic insulator layer caused by thermally generated spin currents in an adjacent spin-split superconductor layer. An uncompensated antiferromagnet interface enables the two crucial ingredients underlying the mechanism - spin splitting in the superconductor and absorption of spin currents by the antiferromagnet. Treating the superconductor using the quasiclassical theory and the antiferromagnet via Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert description, we find domain wall propagation along the thermal gradient with relatively large velocities $\si…
Evidence of orbital Hall current induced correlation in second harmonic response of longitudinal and transverse voltage in light metal-ferromagnet bilayers
Absence of Orbital Hall Magnetoresistance in Nonmagnet/Ferromagnet Bilayers with Large Orbital Torque
State Key Laboratory of Semiconductor Physics and Chip Technologies, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences（中国科学院半导体研究所）；College of Materials Science and Opto-Electronic Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences（中国科学院大学材料科学与光电技术学院）；Fert Beijing Institute, MIIT Key Laboratory of Spintronics, School of Integrated Circuit Science and Engineering, Beihang University（北京航空航天大学集成电路科学与工程学院）；National Key Laboratory of Spintronics Hangzhou International Innovation Institute Beihang University（北京航空航天大学杭州创新研究院）；Southwest Institute of Technical Physics（西南技术物理研究所）
Exchange magnetic field torques in YIG/Pt bilayers observed by the spin-Hall magnetoresistance
利用自旋霍尔磁阻（SMR）测量了钇铁石榴石薄膜对Pt薄膜自旋积累的有效场力矩。结果，可以电测量铁磁绝缘层的磁化方向。实验的横向和纵向电阻是很好地描述的SMR的理论模型的直接和逆自旋霍尔效应，对于不同的Pt厚度[3，4，8和35 nm]。采用Pt的自旋霍尔角$θ_{SH}=0.08$，得到了Pt的自旋扩散长度（$λ=1.1\pm0.3$ nm）以及自旋混合电导的实部（$G_r=(7\pm3)\times10^{14}Ω^{-1}$ m $^{-2}$）和虚部（$G_i=(5\pm3)\times10^{13}Ω^{-1}$ m $^{-2}$）及其比值（$G_r/G_i=16\pm4$）.
The manipulation of the magnetization by spin-orbit torques (SOTs) has recently been extensively studied due to its potential for efficiently writing information in magnetic memories. Particular attention is paid to non-centrosymmetric systems with space inversion asymmetry, where SOTs emerge even in single-layer materials. The half-metallic half-Heusler PtMnSb is an interesting candidate for studies of this intrinsic SOT. Here, we report on the growth and epitaxial properties of PtMnSb thin films and PtMnSb/Pt bilayers deposited on MgO(001) substrates by dc magnetron co-sputtering at high tem…
Polar and quadratic magneto-optical Kerr effects in nonmagnetic/ferromagnet bilayers for spin-orbit torque measurements
The University of Tokyo（东京大学）；Research Institute of Electrical Communication (RIEC), Tohoku University（东北大学电气通信研究所）；Mie University（三重大学）；Trans-scale quantum science institute (TSQS), The University of Tokyo（东京大学跨尺度量子科学研究所）
Recently discovered relativistic spin torques induced by a lateral current at a ferromagnet/paramagnet interface are a candidate spintronic technology for a new generation of electrically-controlled magnetic memory devices. Phenomenologically, the torques have field-like and antidamping-like components with distinct symmetries. Microscopically, they are considered to have two possible origins. In one picture, a spin-current generated in the paramagnet via the relativistic spin Hall effect (SHE) is absorbed in the ferromagnet and induces the spin transfer torque (STT). In the other picture, a n…
We study spin-orbit-torque-driven ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) in ferromagnetic (FM) bilayers, consisting of Co and permalloy (Py), sandwiched between Pt and MgO layers. We find that the FM layer in contact with the Pt layers dominantly determines that spin Hall angle, which is consistent with the spin-transparency model. By contrast, the FMR linewidths are considerably influenced not only by the spin-pumping effect across the Pt|FM in terface but also by the spin relaxation such as two-magnon scattering at the FMMgO interface.The CoMgO interface leads to notably increased FMR linewidths, whi…
The recently discovered two-dimensional (2D) magnetic insulator CrI$_3$ is an intriguing case for basic research and spintronic applications since it is a ferromagnet in the bulk, but an antiferromagnet in bilayer form, with its magnetic ordering amenable to external manipulations. Using first-principles quantum transport approach, we predict that injecting unpolarized charge current parallel to the interface of bilayer-CrI$_3$/monolayer-TaSe$_2$ van der Waals heterostructure will induce spin-orbit torque (SOT) and thereby driven dynamics of magnetization on the first monolayer of CrI$_3$ in d…
The electronic and optoelectronic properties of two dimensional materials have been extensively explored in graphene and layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). Spintronics in these two-dimensional materials could provide novel opportunities for future electronics, for example, efficient generation of spin current, which should enable the efficient manipulation of magnetic elements. So far, the quantitative determination of charge current induced spin current and spin-orbit torques (SOTs) on the magnetic layer adjacent to two-dimensional materials is still lacking. Here, we report a l…
Extensive efforts have been devoted to the study of spin-orbit torque in ferromagnetic metal/heavy metal bilayers and exploitation of it for magnetization switching using an in-plane current. As the spin-orbit torque is inversely proportional to the thickness of the ferromagnetic layer, sizable effect has only been realized in bilayers with an ultrathin ferromagnetic layer. Here we demonstrate that, by stacking ultrathin Pt and FeMn alternately, both ferromagnetic properties and current induced spin-orbit torque can be achieved in FeMn/Pt multilayers without any constraint on its total thickne…
We use ferromagnetic resonance to study the current-induced torques in YIG/heavy metal bilayers. YIG samples with thickness varying from 14.8 nm to 80 nm, with Pt or Ta thin film on top, are measured by applying a microwave current into the heavy metals and measuring the longitudinal DC voltage generated by both spin rectification and spin pumping. From a symmetry analysis of the FMR lineshape and its dependence on YIG thickness, we deduce that the Oersted field dominates over spin-transfer torque in driving magnetization dynamics.
We study the ac current-driven domain wall motion in bilayer ferromagnetic metal (FM)/nonmagnetic metal (NM) nanowire. The solution of the modified Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation including all the spin transfer torques is used to describe motion of the domain wall in presence of the spin Hall effect. We show that the domain wall center has second harmonic frequency response in addition to the known first harmonic excitation. In contrast to the experimentally observed second harmonic response in harmonic Hall measurements of spin-orbit torque in magnetic thin films, this second harmonic respo…
