Spin–orbit torque induced ferromagnetic magnetization switching brought by injecting a charge current into strong spin–orbit-coupling materials is an energy-efficient writing method in emerging magnetic memories and spin logic devices. However, because of the short spin coherence length in ferromagnetic layers, the interfacial effective spin–orbit torque typically leads to high critical current density for switching thick ferromagnet, which goes against low-power and high-density requirements. Here, we experimentally demonstrate efficient bulk spin–orbit torque-driven perpendicular magnetization switching under relatively low critical current density in thick Pt/Co multilayers with gradient-induced symmetry breaking. Through tuning the thickness gradient of Pt, the spin–orbit torque efficiency and switching chirality can be highly controlled, which also indicates that net spin current arises from gradient. Meanwhile, x-ray absorption spectroscopy results reveal that the atomic intermixing can significantly enhance the spin–orbit torque efficiency through improving the strength of spin–orbit-coupling of Pt. We also establish a micromagnetic model by taking both gradient-induced and intermixing-enhanced spin–orbit torque into account to well describe the experimental observations. This work would blaze a promising avenue to develop novel spin–orbit torque devices for high-performance spintronic memory and computation systems.
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Efficient and controllable magnetization switching induced by intermixing-enhanced bulk spin–orbit torque in ferromagnetic multilayers
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March 2022
Research Article|
January 20 2022
Efficient and controllable magnetization switching induced by intermixing-enhanced bulk spin–orbit torque in ferromagnetic multilayers
Kun Zhang;
Kun Zhang
1
Fert Beijing Research Institute, MIIT Key Laboratory of Spintronics, School of Integrated Circuit Science and Engineering, Beihang University
, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
2
Beihang-Goertek Joint Microelectronics Institute, Qingdao Research Institute, Beihang University
, Qingdao 266101, People's Republic of China
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Lei Chen;
Lei Chen
1
Fert Beijing Research Institute, MIIT Key Laboratory of Spintronics, School of Integrated Circuit Science and Engineering, Beihang University
, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
3
Nanoelectronics Science and Technology Center, Hefei Innovation Research Institute, Beihang University
, Hefei 230013, People's Republic of China
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Yue Zhang
;
Yue Zhang
a)
1
Fert Beijing Research Institute, MIIT Key Laboratory of Spintronics, School of Integrated Circuit Science and Engineering, Beihang University
, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
3
Nanoelectronics Science and Technology Center, Hefei Innovation Research Institute, Beihang University
, Hefei 230013, People's Republic of China
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Bin Hong;
Bin Hong
1
Fert Beijing Research Institute, MIIT Key Laboratory of Spintronics, School of Integrated Circuit Science and Engineering, Beihang University
, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
3
Nanoelectronics Science and Technology Center, Hefei Innovation Research Institute, Beihang University
, Hefei 230013, People's Republic of China
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Yu He;
Yu He
1
Fert Beijing Research Institute, MIIT Key Laboratory of Spintronics, School of Integrated Circuit Science and Engineering, Beihang University
, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
3
Nanoelectronics Science and Technology Center, Hefei Innovation Research Institute, Beihang University
, Hefei 230013, People's Republic of China
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Kelian Lin;
Kelian Lin
1
Fert Beijing Research Institute, MIIT Key Laboratory of Spintronics, School of Integrated Circuit Science and Engineering, Beihang University
, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
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Zhizhong Zhang;
Zhizhong Zhang
1
Fert Beijing Research Institute, MIIT Key Laboratory of Spintronics, School of Integrated Circuit Science and Engineering, Beihang University
, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
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Zhenyi Zheng;
Zhenyi Zheng
1
Fert Beijing Research Institute, MIIT Key Laboratory of Spintronics, School of Integrated Circuit Science and Engineering, Beihang University
, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
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Xueqiang Feng;
Xueqiang Feng
1
Fert Beijing Research Institute, MIIT Key Laboratory of Spintronics, School of Integrated Circuit Science and Engineering, Beihang University
, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
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Youguang Zhang;
Youguang Zhang
1
Fert Beijing Research Institute, MIIT Key Laboratory of Spintronics, School of Integrated Circuit Science and Engineering, Beihang University
, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
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Yoshichika Otani;
Yoshichika Otani
4
Institute for Solid State Physics, University of Tokyo
, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581, Japan
5
Center for Emergent Matter Science, RIKEN
, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
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Weisheng Zhao
Weisheng Zhao
a)
1
Fert Beijing Research Institute, MIIT Key Laboratory of Spintronics, School of Integrated Circuit Science and Engineering, Beihang University
, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
2
Beihang-Goertek Joint Microelectronics Institute, Qingdao Research Institute, Beihang University
, Qingdao 266101, People's Republic of China
3
Nanoelectronics Science and Technology Center, Hefei Innovation Research Institute, Beihang University
, Hefei 230013, People's Republic of China
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Appl. Phys. Rev. 9, 011407 (2022)
Article history
Received:
August 16 2021
Accepted:
December 29 2021
Citation
Kun Zhang, Lei Chen, Yue Zhang, Bin Hong, Yu He, Kelian Lin, Zhizhong Zhang, Zhenyi Zheng, Xueqiang Feng, Youguang Zhang, Yoshichika Otani, Weisheng Zhao; Efficient and controllable magnetization switching induced by intermixing-enhanced bulk spin–orbit torque in ferromagnetic multilayers. Appl. Phys. Rev. 1 March 2022; 9 (1): 011407. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0067348
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