Spin-orbit torque in Pt/CoNiCo/Pt symmetric devices

Yang, Meiyin; Cai, Kaiming; Ju, Hailang; Edmonds, K.W.; Yang, Guang; Liu, Shuai; Li, Baohe; Zhang, Bao; Sheng, Yu; Wang, Shouguo; Ji, Yang; Wang, Kaiyou

Abstract

Current induced magnetization switching by spin-orbit torques offers an energy-efficient means of writing information in heavy metal/ferromagnet (FM) multilayer systems. The relative contributions of field-like torques and damping-like torques to the magnetization switching induced by the electrical current are still under debate. Here, we describe a device based on a symmetric Pt/FM/Pt structure, in which we demonstrate a strong damping-like torque from the spin Hall effect and unmeasurable field-like torque from Rashba effect. The spin-orbit effective fields due to the spin Hall effect were investigated quantitatively and were found to be consistent with the switching effective fields after accounting for the switching current reduction due to thermal fluctuations from the current pulse. A non-linear dependence of deterministic switching of average Mzon the in-plane magnetic field was revealed, which could be explained and understood by micromagnetic simulation.

Citation

Yang, M., Cai, K., Ju, H., Edmonds, K., Yang, G., Liu, S., …Wang, K. (2016). Spin-orbit torque in Pt/CoNiCo/Pt symmetric devices. Scientific Reports, 6, https://doi.org/10.1038/srep20778

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 12, 2016
• Publication Date: Feb 9, 2016
• Deposit Date: Mar 3, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 3, 2017
• Journal: Scientific Reports
• Electronic ISSN: 2045-2322
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 6
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/srep20778
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/776770
• Publisher URL: http://www.nature.com/articles/srep20778