Spin-orbit torque and Nernst effects in Bi-Sb/ferromagnet heterostructures

ORAL

Abstract

Topological insulators have gained considerable interested recently due to their potential as spin current generators for room temperature memory applications. In this work we show harmonic Hall measurements of spin-orbit torque (SOT) in MBE grown Bi-Sb/Co bilayers [1]. We find that signals in our samples are dominated by the ordinary Nernst effect (ONE). This thermal effect can be a spurious signal in harmonic Hall measurements and has not been taken into account in previous experiments.

We are proposing two control experiments to separate the ONE in Bi-Sb from SOT. First, we compare harmonic measurements in Bi-Sb/Co and Bi-Sb/Al. While SOT is absent in the sample without magnet, we still see large signals in the second harmonic Hall voltage due to the ONE. Second, we investigate the scaling of V with external magnetic field Bext. While it is expected that SOT effects are suppressed at large magnetic fields, we find that the second harmonic voltage in Bi-Sb/Co scales linearly with the external field, as expected from the ONE.
These results provide an important contribution to the understanding of the ultra-large SHA that was recently reported in TI/ferromagnets.

[1] N. Roschewsky et al., arXiv:1810.05674

Presenters

  • Niklas Roschewsky

    Physics, University of California, Berkeley

Authors

  • Niklas Roschewsky

    Physics, University of California, Berkeley

  • Emily S Walker

    ECE, University of Texas, Austin

  • Praveen Gowtham

    EECS, University of California, Berkeley

  • Sarah Muschinske

    ECE, University of Texas, Austin

  • Frances Hellman

    Physics and Materials Science and Engineering, UC Berkeley, Physics, University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Berkeley, Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, and Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Seth R Bank

    ECE, University of Texas, Austin

  • Sayeef Salahuddin

    EECS, University of California, Berkeley