Spin-orbit torque switching of multi-domain states in Fe<sub>3</sub>GeTe<sub>2</sub>/Pt revealed by scanning transmission X-ray microscopy

ORAL

Abstract

Spin-orbit torque provides a promising route towards ultrafast, low-power magnetic memory technologies while integrating two-dimensional magnets offer new opportunities for compact architectures with tunable interfacial spin-orbit coupling and magnetic proximity effects. In exfoliated Fe3GeTe2/Pt heterostructures, partial magnetization switching driven by SOT has been observed through anomalous Hall and magneto-optical Kerr measurements, suggesting the emergence of multi-domain states. In this talk, we discuss the direct visualization of these SOT-driven multi-domain configurations using spatial and time-resolved scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) with X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) contrast. The imaging reveals nonuniform, quasi-static domain evolution under systematic current-pulsed hysteresis cycles, highlighting the interplay between SOT-induced and thermally assisted domain nucleation, growth, and relaxation processes that ultimately determine the switching behavior.

*We acknowledge the DOE BES (DE-SC0025422), ARO ECP (W911NF2510276), MAXYMUS UE46-PGM2 beamline at BESSY II synchrotron in Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, John D. O'Brien Nanofabrication Laboratory supported by the University of Southern California, and the Cornell NanoScale Facility (NSF Grant NNCI-2025233).

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Presenters

  • Andrew Koerner

    • University of Southern California

Authors

  • Andrew Koerner

    • University of Southern California

  • Thow Min Jerald Cham

    • California Institute of Technology
    • Caltech
    • Cornell University

  • Ethan P Berg

    • University of Southern California

  • Derek Bergner

    • University of Southern California

  • Mowen Zhao

    • University of Southern California

  • Isaac Mottern

    • University of Southern California

  • Lukas Powalla

    • Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research

  • Sebastian Wintz

    • Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin

  • Markus Weigand

    • Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin

  • Takashi Taniguchi

    • National Institute for Materials Science
    • Research Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials Science
    • International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute of Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan
    • Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute of Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan

  • Kenji Watanabe

    • National Institute for Materials Science
    • Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute of Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan

  • Andrew F May

    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory

  • Daniel C Ralph

    • Cornell University

  • Yunqiu (Kelly) Luo

    • University of Southern California