Relativistic Neel-Order Fields Induced by Electrical Current in Antiferromagnets

�elezn�, J.; Gao, H.; V�born�, K.; Zemen, J.; Ma�ek, J.; Manchon, Aur�lien; Wunderlich, J.; Sinova, Jairo; Jungwirth, T.

Abstract

We predict that a lateral electrical current in antiferromagnets can induce nonequilibrium Néel-order fields, i.e., fields whose sign alternates between the spin sublattices, which can trigger ultrafast spin-axis reorientation. Based on microscopic transport theory calculations we identify staggered current-induced fields analogous to the intraband and to the intrinsic interband spin-orbit fields previously reported in ferromagnets with a broken inversion-symmetry crystal. To illustrate their rich physics and utility, we consider bulk Mn2Au with the two spin sublattices forming inversion partners, and a 2D square-lattice antiferromagnet with broken structural inversion symmetry modeled by a Rashba spin-orbit coupling. We propose an antiferromagnetic memory device with electrical writing and reading.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 2, 2014
• Online Publication Date: Oct 6, 2014
• Publication Date: Oct 10, 2014
• Deposit Date: Sep 6, 2017
• Journal: Physical Review Letters
• Print ISSN: 0031-9007
• Electronic ISSN: 1079-7114
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 113
• Issue: 15
• Article Number: 157201
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.157201
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1124349
• Publisher URL: https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.157201
• PMID: 00034424