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arXiv · 1612.02711

Current-induced switching of magnetic molecules on topological insulator surfaces

Elina Locane·Piet W. Brouwer
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Abstract

Electrical currents at the surface or edge of a topological insulator are intrinsically spin-polarized. We show that such surface/edge currents can be used to switch the orientation of a molecular magnet weakly coupled to the surface or edge of a topological insulator. For the edge of a two-dimensional topological insulator as well as for the surface of a three-dimensional topological insulator the application of a well-chosen surface/edge current can lead to a complete polarization of the molecule if the molecule's magnetic anisotropy axis is appropriately aligned with the current direction. For a generic orientation of the molecule a nonzero but incomplete polarization is obtained. We calculate the probability distribution of the magnetic states and the switching rates as a function of the applied current.

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Elina Locane, Piet W. Brouwer. 2016-12-08. Current-induced switching of magnetic molecules on topological insulator surfaces. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.95.125437

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