arXiv subjects

Kaiyou Wang

Publications and source records attributed to Kaiyou Wang.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2023

Large and tunable magnetoresistance in van der Waals Ferromagnet/Semiconductor junctions

Magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with conventional bulk ferromagnets separated by a nonmagnetic insulating layer are key building blocks in spintronics for magnetic sensors and memory. A radically different approach of using atomically-thin van der Waals (vdW) materials in MTJs is expected to boost their figure of merit, the tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR), while relaxing the lattice-matching requirements from the epitaxial growth and supporting high-quality integration of dissimilar materials with atomically-sharp interfaces. We report TMR up to 192% at 10 K in all-vdW Fe3GeTe2/GaSe/Fe3GeTe2 MTJs. Remarkably, instead of the usual insulating spacer, this large TMR is realized with a vdW semiconductor GaSe. Integration of two-dimensional ferromagnets in semiconductor-based vdW junctions offers gate-tunability, bias dependence, magnetic proximity effects, and spin-dependent optical-selection rules. We demonstrate that not just the magnitude, but also the TMR sign is tuned by the applied bias or the semiconductor thickness, enabling modulation of highly spin-polarized carriers in vdW semiconductors.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2022

Electrically function switchable magnetic domain-wall memory

More-versatile memory is strongly desired for end-users to protect their information in the information era. In particular, bit-level switchable memory, from rewritable to read-only function, allows end-users to prevent any important data from being tampered with. However, no such switchable memory has been reported. We demonstrated the rewritable function can be converted into a read-only function by a sufficiently large current pulse in a U-shaped domain-wall memory composed of an asymmetric Pt/Co/Ru/AlOx heterostructure with strong Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. Wafer-scale switchable magnetic domain-wall memory arrays on 4-inch Si/SiO2 substrate were designed and fabricated. Furthermore, we confirmed the information can be stored in rewritable or read-only state at bit-level according to the security-needs of end-users. Our work not only provides a solution for personal confidential data, but also paves the way for developing multi-functional spintronic devices.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2022

Selectively controlled ferromagnets by electric fields in van der Waals ferromagnetic heterojunctions

Charge transfer plays a key role at the interfaces of heterostructures, which can affect electronic structures and ultimately the physical properties of the materials. However, charge transfer is difficult to manipulate externally once the interface formed. Here, we report electrically tunable charge transfer in Fe3GeTe2/Cr2Ge2Te6/Fe3GeTe2 all-magnetic van der Waals heterostructures, which can be exploited to selectively modify the magnetic properties of the top or bottom Fe3GeTe2 electrodes. The directional charge transfer from metallic Fe3GeTe2 to semiconducting Cr2Ge2Te6 remarkably modifies magnetic anisotropy energy of Fe3GeTe2, leading to the dramatically suppressed coercivity. The electrically selective control of ferromagnets demonstrated in this study could stimulate the development of spintronic devices based on van der Waals magnets.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2022

All-electrical switching of a topological non-collinear antiferromagnet at room temperature

Non-collinear antiferromagnetic Weyl semimetals, combining the advantages of a zero stray field and ultrafast spin dynamics as well as a large anomalous Hall effect and the chiral anomaly of Weyl fermions, have attracted extensive interests. However, the all-electrical control of such systems at room temperature, a crucial step toward practical applications, has not been reported. Here using a small writing current of around 5*10^{6} A/cm^{2}, we realize the all-electrical current-induced deterministic switching of the non-collinear antiferromagnet Mn3Sn with a strong readout signal at room temperature in the Si/SiO2/Mn3Sn/AlOx structure, without external magnetic field and injected spin current. Our simulations reveal that the switching is originated from the current-induced intrinsic non-collinear spin-orbit torques in Mn3Sn itself. Our findings pave the way for the development of topological antiferromagnetic spintronics.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2020

All-Linear Multistate Magnetic Switching Induced by Electrical Current

We present an alternative mechanism to control the domain wall motion, whose directions are manipulated by the amplitude of electrical currents when modulating the ratio of D/A (constants of Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction over exchange interaction). To confirm this mechanism, we observe this type of domain wall motion and demonstrate linear magnetic switching without hysteresis effect via adjusting the D/A of Ta/Pt/Co/Ta multilayer device with ion implantations. We further find field-free biased and chirally controllable multistate switching at the lateral interface of ion exposed and unexposed area, which is due to the current induced Neel wall motion and a strong exchange coupling at this interface.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2020

Complementary lateral-spin-orbit building blocks for programmable logic and in-memory computing

Current-driven switching of nonvolatile spintronic materials and devices based on spin-orbit torques offer fast data processing speed, low power consumption, and unlimited endurance for future information processing applications. Analogous to conventional CMOS technology, it is important to develop a pair of complementary spin-orbit devices with differentiated magnetization switching senses as elementary building blocks for realizing sophisticated logic functionalities. Various attempts using external magnetic field or complicated stack/circuit designs have been proposed, however, plainer and more feasible approaches are still strongly desired. Here we show that a pair of two locally laser annealed perpendicular Pt/Co/Pt devices with opposite laser track configurations and thereby inverse field-free lateral spin-orbit torques (LSOTs) induced switching senses can be adopted as such complementary spin-orbit building blocks. By electrically programming the initial magnetization states (spin down/up) of each sample, four Boolean logic gates of AND, OR, NAND and NOR, as well as a spin-orbit half adder containing an XOR gate, were obtained. Moreover, various initialization-free, working current intensity-programmable stateful logic operations, including the material implication (IMP) gate, were also demonstrated by regarding the magnetization state as a logic input. Our complementary LSOT building blocks provide an applicable way towards future efficient spin logics and in-memory computing architectures.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2020

Interlayer band-to-band tunneling and negative differential resistance in van der Waals BP/InSe field effect transistors

Atomically thin layers of van der Waals (vdW) crystals offer an ideal material platform to realize tunnel field effect transistors (TFETs) that exploit the tunneling of charge carriers across the forbidden gap of a vdW heterojunction. This type of device requires a precise energy band alignment of the different layers of the junction to optimize the tunnel current. Amongst two-dimensional (2D) vdW materials, black phosphorus (BP) and indium selenide (InSe) have a Brillouin zone-centered conduction and valence bands, and a type II band offset, both ideally suited for band-to-band tunneling. Here, we demonstrate TFETs based on BP/InSe heterojunctions with diverse electrical transport characteristics: forward rectifying, Zener-tunneling and backward rectifying characteristics are realized in BP/InSe junctions with different thickness of the BP layer or by electrostatic gating of the junction. Electrostatic gating yields a large on/off current ratio of up to 108 and negative differential resistance at low applied voltages (V ~ 0.2V). These findings illustrate versatile functionalities of TFETs based on BP and InSe, offering opportunities for applications of these 2D materials beyond the device architectures reported in the current literature.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2019

Deterministic magnetization switching using lateral spin-orbit torque

Current-induced magnetization switching by spin-orbit torque (SOT) holds considerable promise for next generation ultralow-power memory and logic applications. In most cases, generation of spin-orbit torques has relied on an external injection of out-of-plane spin currents into the magnetic layer, while an external magnetic field along the electric current direction is generally required for realizing deterministic switching by SOT. Here, we report deterministic current-induced SOT full magnetization switching by lateral spin-orbit torque in zero external magnetic field. The Pt/Co/Pt magnetic structure was locally annealed by a laser track along the in-plane current direction, resulting in a lateral Pt gradient within the ferromagnetic layer, as confirmed by microstructure and chemical composition analysis. In zero magnetic field, the direction of the deterministic current-induced magnetization switching depends on the location of the laser track, but shows no dependence on the net polarization of external out-of-plane spin currents. From the behavior under external magnetic fields, we identify two independent mechanisms giving rise to SOT, i.e. the lateral Pt-Co asymmetry as well as out-of-plane injected spin currents, where the polarization and the magnitude of the SOT in the former case depends on the relative location and the laser power of the annealing track. Our results demonstrate an efficient field-free deterministic full magnetization switching scheme, without requiring out-of-plane spin current injection or complex external stack structures.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2019

Atomic Origin of Spin-Valve Magnetoresistance at the SrRuO3 Grain Boundary

Defects ubiquitously exist in crystal materials and usually exhibit a very different nature than the bulk matrix, and hence, their presence can have significant impacts on the properties of devices. Although it is well accepted that the properties of defects are determined by their unique atomic environments, the precise knowledge of such relationships is far from clear for most oxides due to the complexity of defects and difficulties in characterization. Here, we fabricate a 36.8° SrRuO3 grain boundary of which the transport measurements show a spin-valve magnetoresistance. We identify its atomic arrangement, including oxygen, using scanning transmission electron microscopy and spectroscopy. Based on the as-obtained atomic structure, the density functional theory calculations suggest that the spin-valve magnetoresistance is because of the dramatically reduced magnetic moments at the boundary. The ability to manipulate magnetic properties at the nanometer scale via defect control allows new strategies to design magnetic/electronic devices with low-dimensional magnetic order.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2019

Spin Logic Devices via Electric Field Controlled Magnetization Reversal by Spin-Orbit Torque

We describe a spin logic device with controllable magnetization switching of perpendicularly magnetized ferromagnet / heavy metal structures on a ferroelectric (1-x)[Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3]-x[PbTiO3] (PMN-PT) substrate using current-induced spin-orbit torque. The devices were operated without an external magnetic field and controlled by voltages as low as 10 V applied across the PMN-PT substrate, which is much lower compared to previous reports (500 V). The deterministic switching with smaller voltage was realized from the virgin state of the PMN-PT. Ferroelectric simulation shows the unsaturated minor loop exhibits obvious asymmetries in the polarizations. Larger polarization can be induced from the initial ferroelectric state, while it is difficult for opposite polarization. The XNOR, AND, NAND and NOT logic functions were demonstrated by the deterministic magnetization switching from the interaction between the spin-orbit torque and electric field at the PMN-PT/Pt interface. The nonvolatile spin logic scheme in this work is simple, scalable, programmable, which are favorable in the logic-in-memory design with low energy consumption.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2019

Enhanced photoresponse in MoTe2 photodetectors with asymmetric graphene contacts

Atomically thin two dimensional (2D) materials are promising candidates for miniaturized high-performance optoelectronic devices. Here, we report on multilayer MoTe2 photodetectors contacted with asymmetric electrodes based on n- and p-type graphene layers. The asymmetry in the graphene contacts creates a large (Ebi ~100 kV cm-1) built-in electric field across the short (l = 15 nm) MoTe2 channel, causing a high and broad (400 to 1400 nm) photoresponse even without any externally applied voltage. Spatially resolved photovoltage maps reveal an enhanced photoresponse and larger built-in electric field in regions of the MoTe2 layer between the two graphene contacts. Furthermore, a fast (~0.01 ms) photoresponse is achieved in both the photovoltaic and photoconductive operation modes of the junction. Our findings could be extended to other 2D materials and offer prospects for the implementation of asymmetric graphene contacts in future low-power optoelectronic applications.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2018

Tuning a binary ferromagnet into a multi-state synapse with spin-orbit torque induced plasticity

Inspired by ion-dominated synaptic plasticity in human brain, artificial synapses for neuromorphic computing adopt charge-related quantities as their weights. Despite the existing charge derived synaptic emulations, schemes of controlling electron spins in ferromagnetic devices have also attracted considerable interest due to their advantages of low energy consumption, unlimited endurance, and favorable CMOS compatibility. However, a generally applicable method of tuning a binary ferromagnet into a multi-state memory with pure spin-dominated synaptic plasticity in the absence of an external magnetic field is still missing. Here, we show how synaptic plasticity of a perpendicular ferromagnetic FM1 layer can be obtained when it is interlayer-exchange-coupled by another in-plane ferromagnetic FM2 layer, where a magnetic-field-free current-driven multi-state magnetization switching of FM1 in the Pt/FM1/Ta/FM2 structure is induced by spin-orbit torque. We use current pulses to set the perpendicular magnetization state which acts as the synapse weight, and demonstrate spintronic implementation of the excitatory/inhibitory postsynaptic potentials and spike timing-dependent plasticity. This functionality is made possible by the action of the in-plane interlayer exchange coupling field which leads to broadened, multi-state magnetic reversal characteristics. Numerical simulations, combined with investigations of a reference sample with a single perpendicular magnetized Pt/FM1/Ta structure, reveal that the broadening is due to the in-plane field component tuning the efficiency of the spin-orbit-torque to drive domain walls across a landscape of varying pinning potentials. The conventionally binary FM1 inside our Pt/FM1/Ta/FM2 structure with inherent in-plane coupling field is therefore tuned into a multi-state perpendicular ferromagnet and represents a synaptic emulator for neuromorphic computing.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2018

Manipulation of magnetizations by spin-orbit torques

The control of magnetization by electric current is a rapidly developing area motivated by a strong synergy between breakthrough basic research discoveries and industrial applications in the fields of magnetic recording, magnetic field sensors, spintronics and nonvolatile memories. In recent years, the discovery of the spin-orbit torque has opened a spectrum of opportunities to manipulate the magnetization efficiently. This article presents a review of the historical background and recent literature focusing on spin-orbit torques (SOTs), highlighting the most exciting new scientific results and suggesting promising future research directions. It starts with an introduction and overview of the underlying physics of spin-orbit coupling effects in bulk and at interfaces, then describes the use of SOTs to control ferromagnets and antiferromagnets. Finally, we summarize the prospects for the future developments of spintronics devices based on SOTs.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2018

Adjustable current-induced magnetization switching utilizing interlayer exchange coupling

Electrical current-induced deterministic magnetization switching in a magnetic multilayer structure without external magnetic field is realized by utilizing interlayer exchange coupling. Two ferromagnetic Co layers, with in-plane and out-of-plane anisotropy respectively, are separated by a spacer Ta layer, which plays a dual role of inducing antiferromagnetic interlayer coupling, and contributing to the current-induced effective magnetic field through the spin Hall effect. The current-induced magnetization switching behavior can be tuned by pre-magnetizing the in-plane Co layer. The antiferromagnetic exchange coupling field increases with decreasing thickness of the Ta layer, reaching 630+-5 Oe for a Ta thickness of 1.5nm. The magnitude of the current-induced perpendicular effective magnetic field from spin-orbit torque is 9.2 Oe/(107Acm-2). The large spin Hall angle of Ta, opposite in sign to that of Pt, results in a low critical current density of 9*10^6A/cm^2. This approach is promising for the electrical switching of magnetic memory elements without external magnetic field.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2018

Room-temperature nanoseconds spin relaxation in WTe2 and MoTe2 thin films

The Weyl semimetal WTe2 and MoTe2 show great potential in generating large spin currents since they possess topologically-protected spin-polarized states and can carry a very large current density. In addition, the intrinsic noncentrosymmetry of WTe2 and MoTe2 endows with a unique property of crystal symmetry-controlled spin-orbit torques. An important question to be answered for developing spintronic devices is how spins relax in WTe2 and MoTe2. Here, we report a room-temperature spin relaxation time of 1.2 ns (0.4 ns) in WTe2 (MoTe2) thin film using the time-resolved Kerr rotation (TRKR). Based on ab initio calculation, we identify a mechanism of long-lived spin polarization resulting from a large spin splitting around the bottom of the conduction band, low electron-hole recombination rate and suppression of backscattering required by time-reversal and lattice symmetry operation. In addition, we find the spin polarization is firmly pinned along the strong internal out-of-plane magnetic field induced by large spin splitting. Our work provides an insight into the physical origin of long-lived spin polarization in Weyl semimetals which could be useful to manipulate spins for a long time at room temperature.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2017

Fast multicolor photodetectors based on graphene-contacted p-GaSe/n-InSe van der Waals heterostructures

The integration of different two-dimensional materials within a multilayer van der Waals (vdW) heterostructure offers a promising technology for realizing high performance opto-electronic devices such as photodetectors and light sources1-3. Transition metal dichalcogenides, e.g. MoS2 and WSe2, have been employed as the optically-active layer in recently developed heterojunctions. However, MoS2 and WSe2 become direct band gap semiconductors only in mono- or bilayer form4,5. In contrast, the metal monochalcogenides InSe and GaSe retain a direct bandgap over a wide range of layer thicknesses from bulk crystals down to exfoliated flakes only a few atomic monolayers thick6,7. Here we report on vdW heterojunction diodes based on InSe and GaSe: the type II band alignment between the two materials and their distinctive spectral response, combined with the low electrical resistance of transparent graphene electrodes, enable effective separation and extraction of photoexcited carriers from the heterostructure even when no external voltage is applied. Our devices are fast (< 10 μs), self-driven photodetectors with multicolor photoresponse ranging from the ultraviolet to the near-infrared and have the potential to accelerate the exploitation of two-dimensional vdW crystals by creating new routes to miniaturized optoelectronics beyond present technologies.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2017

Photodetectors based on junctions of Two-Dimensional Transition metal dichalcogenides

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have gained considerable attention because of their novel properties and great potential applications. The flakes of TMDCs not only have great light absorptions from visible to near infrared, but also can be stacked together regardless of lattice mismatch like other two-dimensional (2D) materials. Along with the studies on intrinsic properties of TMDCs, the junctions based on TMDCs become more and more important in applications of photodetection. The junctions have shown many exciting possibilities to fully combine the advantages of TMDCs, other 2D materials, conventional and organic semiconductors together. Early studies have greatly enriched the application of TMDCs in photodetection. In this review, we investigate the efforts in photodetectors based on the junctions of TMDCs and analyze the properties of those photodetectors. Homojunctions based on TMDCs can be made by surface chemical doping, elemental doping and electrostatic gating. Heterojunction formed between TMDCs/2D materials, TMDCs/conventional semiconductors and TMDCs/organic semiconductor also deserve more attentions. We also compare the advantages and disadvantages of different junctions, and then give the prospects for the development of junctions based on TMDCs.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2016

Towards Fast Multicolor Photodetectors based on Graphene Contacted Vertical p-GaSe/n-InSe van der Waals Heterostructure

We investigated the electronic and optoelectronic properties of vertical van der Waals heterostructure photodetectors using layered p type GaSe and n type InSe, with graphene as the transparent electrodes. Not only the photocurrent peaks from the layered GaSe and InSe themselves were observed, also the interlayer optical transition peak was observed, which is consistent with the first-principles calculation. The built-in electric field between p-n heterojunction and the advantage of the graphene electrodes can effectively separate the photo-induced electron-hole pairs, and thus lead to the response time down to 160 μs. Making use of the interlayer as well as intralayer optical transitions of the vertical layered p-n heterostructure and graphene electrodes, we could achieve high performance multi-color photodetectors based on two-dimensional layered materials, which will be important for future optoelectronics.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗