Measurements of the transverse Hall resistance are widely used to investigate electron transport, magnetization phenomena, and topological quantum states. Owing to the difficulty of probing transient changes of the transverse resistance, the vast majority of Hall effect experiments are carried out in stationary conditions using either dc or ac currents. Here we present an approach to perform time-resolved measurements of the transient Hall resistance during current-pulse injection with sub-nanosecond temporal resolution. We apply this technique to investigate in real-time the magnetization reversal caused by spin-orbit torques in ferrimagnetic GdFeCo dots. Single-shot Hall effect measurements show that the current-induced switching of GdFeCo is widely distributed in time and characterized by significant activation delays, which limit the total switching speed despite the high domain-wall velocity typical of ferrimagnets. Our method applies to a broad range of current-induced phenomena and can be combined with non-electrical excitations to perform pump-probe Hall effect measurements.
The research into insulating ferrimagnetic garnets has gained enormous momentum in the past decade. This is partly due to the improvement in the techniques to grow high-quality ultrathin films with desirable properties and the advances in understanding the spin transport within the ferrimagnetic garnets and through their interfaces with conducting materials. In recent years, we have seen remarkable progress in controlling the magnetization state of ferrimagnetic garnets by electrical means in suitable heterostructures and device architectures. These advances have readily placed ferrimagnetic g…
We present the Co-Gd composition dependence of the spin-Hall magnetoresistance (SMR) and anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) for ferrimagnetic Co100-xGdx / Pt bilayers. With Gd concentration x, its magnetic moment increasingly competes with the Co moment in the net magnetization. We find a nearly compensated ferrimagnetic state at x = 24. The AMR changes sign from positive to negative with increasing x, vanishing near the magnetization compensation. On the other hand, the SMR does not vary significantly even where the AMR vanishes. These experimental results indicate that very different scatte…
We theoretically study the thermal Hall effect by magnons in skyrmion crystal phases of ferrimagnets in the vicinity of the angular momentum compensation point (CP). To this end, we start by deriving the equation of motion for magnons in the background of an arbitrary equilibrium spin texture, which gives rise to the fictitious electromagnetic field for magnons. As the net spin density varies, the resultant equation of motion interpolates between the relativistic Klein-Gordon equation at CP and the nonrelativistic Schr{ö}dinger-like equation away from it. In skyrmion crystal phases, the right-…
Charged particles exhibit the Hall effect in the presence of magnetic fields. Analogously, ferromagnetic skyrmions with non-zero topological charges and finite fictitious magnetic fields exhibit the skyrmion Hall effect, which is detrimental for applications. The skyrmion Hall effect has been theoretically predicted to vanish for antiferromagnetic skyrmions because the fictitious magnetic field, proportional to net spin density, is zero. We experimentally confirm this prediction by observing current-driven transverse elongation of pinned ferrimagnetic bubbles. Remarkably, the skyrmion Hall eff…
Spintronics provides an efficient platform for realizing non-volatile memory and logic devices. In these systems, data is stored in the magnetization of magnetic materials, and magnetization is switched in the writing process. In conventional spintronic devices, ferromagnetic materials are used which have a magnetization dynamics timescale of around the nanoseconds, setting a limit for the switching speed. Increasing the magnetization switching speed has been one of the challenges in spintronic research. In this work we take advantage of the ultrafast magnetization dynamics in ferrimagnetic ma…
The inverse spinel ferrimagnetic NiCo$_2$O$_4$ possesses high magnetic Curie temperature $T_C$, high spin polarization, and strain-tunable magnetic anisotropy. Understanding the thickness scaling limit of these intriguing magnetic properties in NiCo$_2$O$_4$ thin films is critical for their implementation in nanoscale spintronic applications. In this work, we report the unconventional magnetotransport properties of epitaxial (001) NiCo$_2$O$_4$ films on MgAl$_2$O$_4$ substrates in the ultrathin limit. Anomalous Hall effect measurements reveal strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy for films …
We study the spin Hall magnetoresistance effect in ferrimagnet/normal metal bilayers, comparing the response in collinear and canted magnetic phases. In the collinear magnetic phase, in which the sublattice magnetic moments are all aligned along the same axis, we observe the conventional spin Hall magnetoresistance. In contrast, in the canted phase, the magnetoresistance changes sign. Using atomistic spin model calculations of the magnetic configuration, we show that the electric transport for the different magnetic phases can be rationalized considering the individual sublattice moment orient…
We report on low-temperature electron transport properties of MnSb2Te4, a candidate of ferrimagnetic Weyl semimetal. Long -range magnetic order is manifested as a nearly square-shaped hysteresis loop in the anomalous Hall resistance, as well as sharp jumps in the magnetoresistance. At temperatures below 4 K, a lnT-type upturn appears in the temperature dependence of longitudinal resistance, which can be attributed to the electron-electron interaction (EEI), since the weak localization can be excluded by the temperature dependence of magnetoresistance. Although the anomalous Hall resistance exh…
In spintronics, it is important to be able to manipulate magnetization rapidly and reliably. Several methods can control magnetization, such as by applying current pulses or magnetic fields. An applied current can reverse magnetization with nanosecond speed through the spin torque effect. For faster switching, subpicosecond switching with femtoseconds laser pulse has been achieved in amorphous rare-earth transition-metal ferrimagnets. In this study, we employed atomistic simulations to investigate ultrafast switching in a synthetic antiferromagnet with bilayer amorphous FeGd ferrimagnets. Usin…
Flexibility for interface engineering, and access to all-optical switching of the magnetization, make synthetic ferrimagnets an interesting candidate for advanced opto-spintronic devices. Moreover, due to their layered structure and disordered interfaces they also bear promise for the emerging field of graded magnetic materials. The fastest and most efficient spin-orbit torque driven manipulation of the magnetic order in this material system generally takes place at compensation. Here, we present a systematic experimental and modeling study of the conditions for magnetization compensation and …
We resolve a significant controversy about how to understand and engineer single-shot all-optical switching of magnetization in ferrimagnets using femto- or picosecond-long heat pulses. By realistically modelling a generic ferrimagnet as two coupled macrospins, we comprehensively show that the net magnetization can be reversed via different pathways, using a heat pulse with duration spanning all relevant timescales within the non-adiabatic limit. This conceptual understanding is fully validated by experiments studying the material and optical limits at which the switching process in GdFeCo all…
A theory of magnetization dynamics in ferrimagnetic materials with antiparallel aligned spin sub-lattices under action of spin-transfer torques (STT) is developed. We consider magnetization dynamics in GdFeCo layers in two cases of magnetic anisotropy: easy plane and easy axis. We demonstrate that, (i) for the easy plane anisotropy the precession of the Néel vector is conical and the cone angle depends on the STT strength and the value of spin non-compensation, while the frequency of precession can reach sub-THz frequencies; (ii) for the easy axis anisotropy two regimes are possible: determini…
The ferrimagnets, such as GdxFeCo(1-x), can produce ultrafast magnetic switching and oscillation due to the strong exchange field. The two-sublattices macrospin model has been widely used to explain the experimental results. However, it fails in describing the spatial nonuniform magnetic dynamics which gives rises to many important phenomenons such as the domain walls and skyrmions. Here we develop the two-dimensional atomistic model and provide a torque analysis method to study the ferrimagnetic oscillation. Under the spin-transfer torque, the magnetization oscillates in the exchange mode or …
Spin Current Generation Controlled by the Néel State in a Compensated Ferrimagnet
Institute for Solid State Physics, University of Tokyo（东京大学固体物理研究所）；Kavli Institute for Theoretical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences（中国科学院大学 Kavli 理论科学研究所）；CAS Center for Excellence in Topological Quantum Computation, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences（中国科学院大学 拓扑量子计算卓越中心）；Advanced Science Research Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency（日本原子能研究开发机构 先进科学研究部）；RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS)（理化学研究所 涌现物质科学中心）
The topological nature of magnetic-vortex state gives rise to peculiar magnetization reversal observed in magnetic microdisks. Interestingly, magnetostatic and exchange energies which drive this reversal can be effectively controlled in artificial ferrimagnet heterostructures composed of rare-earth and transition metals. 25x[Py(t)/Gd(t)] (t=1 or 2 nm) superlattices demonstrate a pronounced change of the magnetization and exchange stiffness in a 10-300 K temperature range as well as very small magnetic anisotropy. Due to these properties, the magnetization of cylindrical microdisks composed of …
Spin-Hall nano-oscillators (SHNOs) are promising spintronic devices to realize current controlled GHz frequency signals in nanoscale devices for neuromorphic computing and creating Ising systems. However, traditional SHNOs -- devices based on transition metals -- have high auto-oscillation threshold currents as well as low quality factors and output powers. Here we demonstrate a new type of hybrid SHNO based on a permalloy (Py) ferromagnetic-metal nanowire and low-damping ferrimagnetic insulator, in the form of epitaxial lithium aluminum ferrite (LAFO) thin films. The superior characteristics …
Although all-optical magnetization switching with fs laser pulses has garnered much technological interest, the ultimate data rates achievable have scarcely been investigated. Recently it has been shown that after a switching event in a GdCo alloy, a second laser pulse arriving 7 ps later can consistently switch the magnetization. However, it is as of yet unknown whether the same holds in layered ferrimagnetic systems, which hold much promise for applications. In this work we investigate the minimum time delay required between two subsequent switching events in synthetic ferrimagnetic Co/Gd bi…
Due to its transverse nature, spin Hall effects (SHE) provide the possibility to excite and detect spin currents and magnetization dynamics even in magnetic insulators. Magnetic insulators are outstanding materials for the investigation of nonlinear phenomena and for novel low power spintronics applications because of their extremely low Gilbert damping. Here, we report on the direct imaging of electrically driven spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance (ST-FMR) in the ferrimagnetic insulator Y$_3$Fe$_5$O$_{12}$ based on the excitation and detection by SHEs. The driven spin dynamics in Y$_3$Fe$_5$…
We compare thermal-gradient-driven transverse voltages in ferrimagnetic-insulator/heavy-metal bilayers (Tm3Fe5O12/W and Tm3Fe5O12/Pt) to corresponding electrically-driven transverse resistances at and above room temperature. We find for Tm3Fe5O12/W that the thermal and electrical effects can be explained by a common spin-current detection mechanism, the physics underlying spin Hall magnetoresistance (SMR). However, for Tm3Fe5O12/Pt the ratio of the electrically-driven transverse voltages (planar Hall signal/anomalous Hall signal) is much larger than the ratio of corresponding thermal-gradient …
Current-induced spin-orbit torques (SOTs) are of interest for fast and energy-efficient manipulation of magnetic order in spintronic devices. To be deterministic, however, switching of perpendicularly magnetized materials by SOT requires a mechanism for in-plane symmetry breaking. Existing methods to do so involve the application of an in-plane bias magnetic field, or incorporation of in-plane structural asymmetry in the device, both of which can be difficult to implement in practical applications. Here, we reported bias-field-free SOT switching in a single perpendicular CoTb layer with an eng…
The interface between a ferro-/ferrimagnetic insulator and a normal metal can support spin currents polarized collinear with and perpendicular to the magnetization direction. The flow of angular momentum perpendicular to the magnetization direction ("transverse" spin current) takes place via spin torque and spin pumping. The flow of angular momentum collinear with the magnetization ("longitudinal" spin current) requires the excitation of magnons. In this article we extend the existing theory of longitudinal spin transport [Bender and Tserkovnyak, Phys. Rev. B 91, 140402(R) (2015)] in the zero-…
A femtosecond laser pulse is able to switch the magnetic state of a 3d-4f ferrimagnetic material on a pico-second time scale. Devices based on this all-optical switching (AOS) mechanism are competitive candidates for ultrafast memory applications. However, a large portion of the light energy is lost by reflection from the metal thin film as well as transmission to the substrate. In this paper, we explore the use of dielectric coatings to increase the light absorption by the magnetic metal layer based on the principle of constructive interference. We experimentally show that the switching energ…
Spintronics is showing promising results in the search for new materials and effects to reduce energy consumption in information technology. Among these materials, ferrimagnets are of special interest, since they can produce large spin currents that trigger the magnetization dynamics of adjacent layers or even their own magnetization. Here, we present a study of the generation of spin current by GdFeCo in a GdFeCo/Cu/NiFe trilayer where the FeCo sublattice magnetization is dominant at room temperature. Magnetic properties such as the saturation magnetization are deduced from magnetometry measu…
We theoretically study the intrinsic thermal Hall and spin Nernst effect in collinear ferrimagnets on a honeycomb lattice with broken inversion symmetry. The broken inversion symmetry allows in-plane Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction between the nearest neighbors, which does not affect the magnon spectrum in the linear spin wave theory. However, the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction can induce large Berry curvature in the magnetoelastic excitation spectrum through the magnon-phonon interaction to produce thermal Hall current. Furthermore, we find that the magnetoelastic excitations transport s…
To realize the quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE) at elevated temperatures, the approach of magnetic proximity effect (MPE) was adopted to break the time-reversal symmetry in the topological insulator (Bi0.3Sb0.7)2Te3 (BST) based heterostructures with a ferrimagnetic insulator europium iron garnet (EuIG) of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Here we demonstrate phenomenally large anomalous Hall resistance (RAHE) exceeding 8 Ω (\r{ho}AHE of 3.2 μΩ*cm) at 300 K and sustaining to 400 K in 35 BST/EuIG samples, surpassing the past record of 0.28 Ω (\r{ho}AHE of 0.14 μΩ*cm) at 300 K. The remarkabl…
Electrically Sign-Reversible Topological Hall Effect in a Top-Gated Topological Insulator (Bi,Sb)2Te3 on a Ferrimagnetic Insulator Europium Iron Garnet
