Unconventional spin-orbit torques in IrO2 based devices

ORAL

Abstract

Spin–orbit torques (SOTs) generated by a spin current are key to magnetic switching in spintronic applications. The polarization of the spin current dictates the direction of switching required for energy-efficient devices. Conventionally, the polarizations of these spin currents are restricted to be along a certain direction due to the symmetry of the material allowing only for efficient in-plane magnetic switching. Unconventional spin–orbit torques arising from novel spin current polarizations, however, have the potential to switch other magnetization orientations such as perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, which is desired for higher density spintronic-based memory devices. Here, we demonstrate unconventional SOTs in IrO2 based devices using thin film engineering techniques and heterostructure design.1 We show field-free switching of a PMA using out-of-plane SOTs in IrO2 and relate the crystal symmetry to the symmetry of the SOTs. These results offers a new approach to discovering unconventional SOTs in materials with higher symmetry.

1 M.V. Patton, et al. (2023) Adv. Mater. 35, 2301608

* This work was supported by the Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship (ONR N00014-20-1-2844) and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation’s EPiQS Initiative, Grant GBMF9065. Transport and magnetic measurement at the University of Wisconsin–Madison was supported by the US Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES), under award number DE-FG02-06ER46327

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Publication: M.V. Patton, et al. (2023) Adv. Mater. 35, 2301608

Presenters

  • Michael V Patton

    UW-Madison

Authors

  • Michael V Patton

    UW-Madison

  • Tianxiang Nan

    Tsinghua University

  • Evgeny Y Tsymbal

    University of Nebraska - Lincoln

  • Mark S Rzchowski

    University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin - Madison

  • Chang-Beom Eom

    University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA, University of wisconsin-madison, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA