Quenching of an antiferromagnet into high resistivity states using electrical or ultrashort optical pulses

DOI: 10.1038/s41928-020-00506-4

Authors: Z. Kaspar (Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences; Charles University in Prague) , M. Surýnek (Charles University in Prague) , J. Zubáč (Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences; Charles University in Prague) , F. Krizek (Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences) , V. Novák (Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences) , R. P. Campion (University of Nottingham) , M. S. Wörnle (ETH Zurich) , P. Gambardella (ETH Zurich) , X. Marti (Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences) , P. Němec (Charles University in Prague) , K. W. Edmonds (University of Nottingham) , S. Reimers (University of Nottingham; Diamond Light Source) , O. J. Amin (University of Nottingham) , F. Maccherozzi (Diamond Light Source) , S. S. Dhesi (Diamond Light Source) , P. Wadley (University of Nottingham) , J. Wunderlich (Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences; University of Regensburg) , K. Olejník (Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences) , T. Jungwirth (Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences; University of Nottingham)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Nature Electronics , VOL 174

State: Published (Approved)
Published: November 2020

Abstract: Antiferromagnets are of potential use in the development of spintronic devices due to their ultrafast dynamics, insensitivity to external magnetic fields and absence of magnetic stray fields. Similar to their ferromagnetic counterparts, antiferromagnets can store information in the orientations of the collective magnetic order vector. However, the readout magnetoresistivity signals in simple antiferromagnetic films are weak, and reorientation of the magnetic order vector via optical excitation has not yet been achieved. Here we report the reversible and reproducible quenching of antiferromagnetic CuMnAs into nano-fragmented domain states using either electrical or ultrashort optical pulses. The changes in the resistivity of the system approach 20% at room temperature, which is comparable to the giant magnetoresistance ratios in ferromagnetic multilayers. We also obtain a signal readout by optical reflectivity.

Journal Keywords: Electronic and spintronic devices; Magnetic properties and materials

Diamond Keywords: Spintronics; Data Storage; Antiferromagnetism

Subject Areas: Physics, Materials, Information and Communication Technology


Instruments: I06-Nanoscience (XPEEM)

Added On: 07/12/2020 14:58

Discipline Tags:

Quantum Materials Hard condensed matter - electronic properties Physics Electronics Components & Micro-systems Information & Communication Technologies Magnetism Materials Science

Technical Tags:

Microscopy Electron Microscopy (EM) PhotoEmmission Electron Microscopy (PEEM)