Mechanism of Néel order switching in antiferromagnetic thin films revealed by magnetotransport and direct imaging

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.177201

Authors: L. Baldrati (Johannes Gutenberg-Universitat Mainz) , O. Gomonay (Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz) , A. Ross (Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz) , M. Filianina (Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz) , R. Lebrun (Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz) , R. Ramos (Tohoku University) , C. Leveille (Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz) , F. Fuhrmann (Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz) , T. R. Forrest (Diamond Light Source) , F. Maccherozzi (Diamond Light Source) , S. Valencia (Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie) , F. Kronast (Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie) , E. Saitoh (Tohoku University; Japan Atomic Energy Agency; The University of Tokyo) , J. Sinova (Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz) , M. Kläui (Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Physical Review Letters , VOL 123

State: Published (Approved)
Published: October 2019
Diamond Proposal Number(s): 18850 , 20698

Abstract: We probe the current-induced magnetic switching of insulating antiferromagnet–heavy-metal systems, by electrical spin Hall magnetoresistance measurements and direct imaging, identifying a reversal occurring by domain wall (DW) motion. We observe switching of more than one-third of the antiferromagnetic domains by the application of current pulses. Our data reveal two different magnetic switching mechanisms leading together to an efficient switching, namely, the spin-current induced effective magnetic anisotropy variation and the action of the spin torque on the DWs.

Journal Keywords: Antiferromagnetism; Domain walls; Magnetic domains; Magnetism; Magnetization switching; Spin Hall magnetoresistance; Spin dynamics; Spin torque

Diamond Keywords: Antiferromagnetism

Subject Areas: Physics, Materials


Instruments: I06-Nanoscience

Other Facilities: BESSY II - Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin

Added On: 31/10/2019 11:43

Discipline Tags:

Surfaces Quantum Materials Physics Magnetism Materials Science interfaces and thin films

Technical Tags:

Spectroscopy Linear Dichroism (LD) X-ray Magnetic Linear Dichroism (XMLD)