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Nidhi Kandwal

Publications and source records attributed to Nidhi Kandwal.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Topologically Driven Giant Effective Spin Mixing Conductance in Antiferromagnetic FeSn/Py Heterostructures

The topological semimetal FeSn antiferromagnet, characterized by its kagome lattice, two-dimensional flat bands, and Dirac-like surface states, holds immense promise for spintronic applications. In this work, for the first time, we investigate the spin pumping behavior in epitaxial-FeSn/Py (Ni$_{80}$Fe$_{20}$) heterostructures. We report a giant effective spin mixing conductance (g$^{\uparrow \downarrow}_{\mathrm{eff}}$) of $(116\pm 7)$~nm$^{-2}$, which is nearly one order of magnitude higher than that of standard Pt/Py heterostructures. The insertion of a 3 nm Al spacer layer results in a two-fold reduction in the effective damping, confirming the interfacial origin of the large g$^{\uparrow\downarrow}_{\mathrm{eff}}$. Consistently, we observe an order-of-magnitude higher inverse spin Hall effect voltage in the FeSn/Py system compared to a reference Pt/Py film stack. We attribute the giant g$^{\uparrow\downarrow}_{\mathrm{eff}}$ to the direct interfacing of the Py layer with the topologically active [001]-kagome surface of epitaxial-FeSn. These findings establish the critical role of topologically active interfaces for advanced quantum-material-based spintronic devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Controlling Spin-Mixing Conductance in KTaO$_{3}$ 2DEGs by Varying Argon-Ion Irradiation Time

The Rashba-split two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) at the surface and interface of insulating oxides like KTaO$_{3}$ (KTO) shows great promise for all-oxide spintronics. However, efficient spin current injection into the adjacent 2DEG remains a key challenge. In this study, we report the spin-pumping experiments on a 2DEG formed on the (001)KTO surface via Ar$^+$ irradiation. We observed a significant increase in magnetic damping in the Ar$^+$-KTO/Py bilayer compared to a non-irradiated KTO/Py control sample, confirming spin pumping into the 2DEG. We demonstrate that the spin-mixing conductance ($g_{\uparrow\downarrow}^r$) can be substantially enhanced by controlling the Ar$^+$ irradiation time. The enhancement is attributed to increased 2DEG conductance, which results from a higher concentration of oxygen vacancies with longer irradiation times. This work provides crucial guidance for optimizing spin-to-charge conversion in KTO-based systems, highlighting the potential of Ar$^+$-irradiated KTO 2DEGs for future oxide spintronics.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Symmetry Enhanced Unconventional Spin Current Anisotropy in a Collinear Antiferromagnet

Spin-orbit torque (SOT) presents a promising avenue for energy-efficient spintronics devices, surpassing the limitations of spin transfer torque. While extensively studied in heavy metals, SOT in antiferromagnetic quantum materials remains largely unexplored. Here, we investigate SOT in epitaxial FeSn, a collinear antiferromagnet with a kagome lattice. FeSn exhibits intriguing topological quantum features, including two-dimensional flat bands and Dirac-like surface states, making it an ideal platform for investigating emergent SOT properties. Using spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance, we uncover a six-fold symmetric damping-like SOT in epitaxial-FeSn/Py heterostructures, reflecting the six-fold symmetry of the epitaxial [0001]-oriented FeSn films. Additionally, we observe a substantial unconventional field-like torque, originating from spin currents with out-of-plane spin polarization. This torque exhibits a unique angular dependence-a superposition of six-fold crystalline symmetry and uniaxial symmetry associated with the antiferromagnetic spin Hall effect. Notably, the unconventional field-like torque is enhanced when the RF current flows along the Neel vector in FeSn. Our findings reveal an unconventional spin current anisotropy tunable by crystalline and magnetic symmetry, offering a novel approach for controlling SOT in antiferromagnetic spintronics.

cond-mat.mes-hall