arXiv subjects

Pietro Gambardella

Publications and source records attributed to Pietro Gambardella.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2023

Strong lateral exchange coupling and current-induced switching in single-layer ferrimagnetic films with patterned compensation temperature

Strong, adjustable magnetic couplings are of great importance to all devices based on magnetic materials. Controlling the coupling between adjacent regions of a single magnetic layer, however, is challenging. In this work, we demonstrate strong exchange-based coupling between arbitrarily shaped regions of a single ferrimagnetic layer. This is achieved by spatially patterning the compensation temperature of the ferrimagnet by either oxidation or He+ irradiation. The coupling originates at the lateral interface between regions with different compensation temperature and scales inversely with their width. We show that this coupling generates large lateral exchange coupling fields and we demonstrate its application to control the switching of magnetically compensated dots with an electric current.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2023

Current-driven dynamics and ratchet effect of skyrmion bubbles in a ferrimagnetic insulator

Magnetic skyrmions are compact chiral spin textures that exhibit a rich variety of topological phenomena and hold potential for developing high-density memory devices and novel computing schemes driven by spin currents. Here, we demonstrate room temperature interfacial stabilization and current-driven control of skyrmion bubbles in the ferrimagnetic insulator Tm3Fe5O12 (TmIG) coupled to Pt. We track the current-induced motion of individual skyrmion bubbles. The ferrimagnetic order of the crystal together with the interplay of spin-orbit torques and pinning determine the skyrmion dynamics in TmIG and result in a strong skyrmion Hall effect characterized by a negative deflection angle and hopping motion. Further, we show that the velocity and depinning threshold of the skyrmion bubbles can be modified by exchange coupling TmIG to an in-plane magnetized Y3Fe5O12 layer, which distorts the spin texture of the skyrmions and leads to a directional-dependent rectification of their dynamics. This effect, which is equivalent to a magnetic ratchet, is exploited to control the skyrmion flow in a racetrack-like device.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2022

Tailoring the switching efficiency of magnetic tunnel junctions by the fieldlike spin-orbit torque

Current-induced spin-orbit torques provide a versatile tool for switching magnetic devices. In perpendicular magnets, the dampinglike component of the torque is the main driver of magnetization reversal. The degree to which the fieldlike torque assists the switching is a matter of debate. Here we study the switching of magnetic tunnel junctions with a CoFeB free layer and either W or Ta underlayers, which have a ratio of fieldlike to dampinglike torque of 0.3 and 1, respectively. We show that the fieldlike torque can either assist or hinder the switching of CoFeB when the static in-plane magnetic field required to define the polarity of spin-orbit torque switching has a component transverse to the current. In particular, the non-collinear alignment of the field and current can be exploited to increase the switching efficiency and reliability compared to the standard collinear alignment. By probing individual switching events in real-time, we also show that the combination of transverse magnetic field and fieldlike torque can accelerate or decelerate the reversal onset. We validate our observations using micromagnetic simulations and extrapolate the results to materials with different torque ratios. Finally, we propose device geometries that leverage the fieldlike torque for density increase in memory applications and synaptic weight generation.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2022

Time-dependent multistate switching of topological antiferromagnetic order in Mn$_3$Sn

The manipulation of antiferromagnetic order by means of spin-orbit torques opens unprecedented opportunities to exploit the dynamics of antiferromagnets in spintronic devices. In this work, we investigate the current-induced switching of the magnetic octupole vector in the Weyl antiferromagnet Mn$_3$Sn as a function of pulse shape, field, temperature, and time. We find that the switching behavior can be either bistable or tristable depending on the temporal structure of the current pulses. Time-resolved Hall effect measurements reveal that Mn$_3$Sn switching proceeds via a two-step demagnetization-remagnetization process caused by self-heating over a timescale of tens of ns followed by cooling in the presence of spin-orbit torques. Our results shed light on the switching dynamics of Mn$_3$Sn and prove the existence of extrinsic limits on its switching speed.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2022

Unidirectional orbital magnetoresistance in light metal/ferromagnet bilayers

We report the observation of a unidirectional magnetoresistance (UMR) that originates from the nonequilibrium orbital momentum induced by an electric current in a naturally oxidized Cu/Co bilayer. The orbital-UMR scales with the torque efficiency due to the orbital Rashba-Edelstein effect upon changing the Co thickness and temperature, reflecting their common origin. We attribute the UMR to orbital-dependent electron scattering and orbital-to-spin conversion in the ferromagnetic layer. In contrast to the spin-current induced UMR, the magnon contribution to the orbital-UMR is absent in thin Co layers, which we ascribe to the lack of coupling between low energy magnons and orbital current. The magnon contribution to the UMR emerges in Co layers thicker than about 5 nm, which is comparable to the orbital-to-spin conversion length. Our results provide insight into orbital-to-spin momentum transfer processes relevant for the optimization of spintronic devices based on light metals and orbital transport.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2022

Spin-orbit torque switching of magnetic tunnel junctions for memory application

Spin-orbit torques (SOT) provide a versatile tool to manipulate the magnetization of diverse classes of materials and devices using electric currents, leading to novel spintronic memory and computing approaches. In parallel to spin transfer torques (STT), which have emerged as a leading non-volatile memory technologie, SOT broaden the scope of current-induced magnetic switching to applications that run close to the clock speed of the central processing unit and unconventional computing architectures. In this paper, we review the fundamental characteristics of SOT and their use to switch magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) devices, the elementary unit of the magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM). In the first part, we illustrate the physical mechanisms that drive the SOT and magnetization reversal in nanoscale structures. In the second part, we focus on the SOT-MTJ cell. We discuss the anatomy of the MTJ in terms of materials and stack development, summarize the figures of merit for SOT switching, review the field-free operation of perpendicularly magnetized MTJs, and present options to combine SOT, STT and voltage-gate assisted switching. In the third part, we consider SOT-MRAMs in the perspective of circuit integration processes, introducing considerations on scaling and performance, as well as macro-design architectures. We thus bridge the fundamental description of SOT-driven magnetization dynamics with an application-oriented perspective, including device and system-level considerations, goals, and challenges.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2022

Giant orbital Hall effect and orbital-to-spin conversion in 3d, 5d, and 4f metallic heterostructures

The orbital Hall effect provides an alternative means to the spin Hall effect to convert a charge current into a flow of angular momentum. Recently, compelling signatures of orbital Hall effects have been identified in 3d transition metals. Here, we report a systematic study of the generation, transmission, and conversion of orbital currents in heterostructures comprising 3d, 5d, and 4f metals. We show that the orbital Hall conductivity of Cr reaches giant values of the order of 5*10^5 Ohm^{-1} m^{-1} and that Pt presents a strong orbital Hall effect in addition to the spin Hall effect. Measurements performed as a function of thickness of nonmagnetic Cr, Mn, and Pt layers and ferromagnetic Co and Ni layers reveal how the orbital and spin currents compete or assist each other in determining the spin-orbit torques acting on the magnetic layer. We further show how this interplay can be drastically modulated by introducing 4 f spacers between the nonmagnetic and magnetic layers. Gd and Tb act as very efficient orbital-to-spin current converters, boosting the spin-orbit torques generated by Cr by a factor of 4 and reversing the sign of the torques generated by Pt. To interpret our results, we present a generalized drift-diffusion model that includes both spin and orbital Hall effects and describes their interconversion mediated by spin-orbit coupling.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2022

Engineering the spin-orbit torque efficiency and magnetic properties of Tb/Co ferrimagnetic multilayers by stacking order

We measured the spin-orbit torques (SOTs), current-induced switching, and domain wall (DW) motion in synthetic ferrimagnets consisting of Co/Tb layers with differing stacking order grown on a Pt underlayer. We find that the SOTs, magnetic anisotropy, compensation temperature and SOT-induced switching are highly sensitive to the stacking order of Co and Tb and to the element in contact with Pt. Our study further shows that Tb is an efficient SOT generator when in contact with Co, such that its position in the stack can be adjusted to generate torques additive to those generated by Pt. With optimal stacking and layer thickness, the dampinglike SOT efficiency reaches up to 0.3, which is more than twice that expected from the Pt/Co bilayer. Moreover, the magnetization can be easily switched by the injection of pulses with current density of about 0.5-2*107A/cm2 despite the extremely high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy barrier (up to 7.8 T). Efficient switching is due to the combination of large SOTs and low saturation magnetization owing to the ferrimagnetic character of the multilayers. We observed current-driven DW motion in the absence of any external field, which is indicative of homochiral Néel-type DWs stabilized by the interfacial Dzyaloshinkii-Moriya interaction. These results show that the stacking order in transition metal/rare-earth synthetic ferrimagnets plays a major role in determining the magnetotransport properties relevant for spintronic applications.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2022

Electron paramagnetic resonance of alkali metal atoms and dimers on ultrathin MgO

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) can provide unique insight into the chemical structure and magnetic properties of dopants in oxide and semiconducting materials that are of interest for applications in electronics, catalysis, and quantum sensing. Here, we demonstrate that EPR in combination with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) allows for probing the bonding and charge state of alkali metal atoms on an ultrathin magnesium oxide layer on a Ag substrate. We observe a magnetic moment of $1μ_\mathrm{B}$ for Li$_2$, LiNa, and Na$_2$ dimers corresponding to spin radicals with a charge state of $+1e$. Single alkali atoms have the same charge state and no magnetic moment. The ionization of the adsorbates is attributed to charge transfer through the oxide to the metal substrate. Our work highlights the potential of EPR-STM to provide insight into dopant atoms that are relevant for the control of the electrical properties of surfaces and nanodevices.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2022

Magnon transport and thermoelectric effects in ultrathin Tm3Fe5O12/Pt nonlocal devices

The possibility of electrically exciting and detecting magnon currents in magnetic insulators has opened exciting perspectives for transporting spin information in electronic devices. However, the role of the magnetic field and the nonlocal thermal gradients on the magnon transport remain unclear. Here, by performing nonlocal harmonic voltage measurements, we investigate magnon transport in perpendicularly magnetized ultrathin Tm3Fe5O12 (TmIG) films coupled to Pt electrodes. We show that the first harmonic nonlocal voltage captures spin-driven magnon transport in TmIG, as expected, and the second harmonic is dominated by thermoelectric voltages driven by current-induced thermal gradients at the detector. The magnon diffusion length in TmIG is found to be on the order of 0.3 μm at 0.5 T and gradually decays to 0.2 μm at 0.8 T, which we attribute to the suppression of the magnon relaxation time due to the increase of the Gilbert damping with field. By performing current, magnetic field, and distance dependent nonlocal and local measurements we demonstrate that the second harmonic nonlocal voltage exhibits five thermoelectric contributions, which originate from the nonlocal spin Seebeck effect and the ordinary, planar, spin, and anomalous Nernst effects. Our work provides a guide on how to disentangle magnon signals from diverse thermoelectric voltages of spin and magnetic origin in nonlocal magnon devices, and establish the scaling laws of the thermoelectric voltages in metal/insulator bilayers.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2021

Engineering of Intrinsic Chiral Torques in Magnetic Thin Films Based on the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya Interaction

The establishment of chiral coupling in thin magnetic films with inhomogeneous anisotropy has led to the development of artificial systems of fundamental and technological interest. The chiral coupling itself is enabled by the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) enforced by the patterned noncollinear magnetization. Here, we create a domain wall track with out-of-plane magnetization coupled on each side to a narrow parallel strip with in-plane magnetization. With this we show that the chiral torques emerging from the DMI at the boundary between the regions of noncollinear magnetization in a single magnetic layer can be used to bias the domain wall velocity. To tune the chiral torques, the design of the magnetic racetracks can be modified by varying the width of the tracks or the width of the transition region between noncollinear magnetizations, reaching effective chiral magnetic fields of up to 7.8 mT. Furthermore, we show how the magnitude of the chiral torques can be estimated by measuring asymmetric domain wall velocities, and demonstrate spontaneous domain wall motion propelled by intrinsic torques even in the absence of any external driving force.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2021

Chiral Coupling between Magnetic Layers with Orthogonal Magnetization

We report on the occurrence of strong interlayer Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) between an in-plane magnetized Co layer and a perpendicularly magnetized TbFe layer through a Pt spacer. The DMI causes a chiral coupling that favors one-handed orthogonal magnetic configurations of Co and TbFe, which we reveal through Hall effect and magnetoresistance measurements. The DMI coupling mediated by Pt causes effective magnetic fields on either layer of up to 10-15 mT, which decrease monotonously with increasing Pt thickness. Ru, Ta, and Ti spacers mediate a significantly smaller coupling compared to Pt, highlighting the essential role of Pt in inducing the interlayer DMI. These results are relevant to understand and maximize the interlayer coupling induced by the DMI as well as to design spintronic devices with chiral spin textures.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2021

Accurate measurement of atomic magnetic moments by minimizing the tip magnetic field in STM-based electron paramagnetic resonance

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) performed with a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) allows for probing the spin excitation of single atomic species with MHz energy resolution. One of the basic applications of conventional EPR is the precise determination of magnetic moments. However, in an STM, the local magnetic fields of the spin-polarized tip can introduce systematic errors in the measurement of the magnetic moments by EPR. We propose to solve this issue by finding tip-sample distances at which the EPR resonance shift caused by the magnetic field of the tip is minimized. To this end, we measure the dependence of the resonance field on the tip-sample distance at different radiofrequencies and identify specific distances for which the true magnetic moment is found. Additionally, we show that the tip's influence can be averaged out by using magnetically bistable tips, which provide a complementary method to accurately measure the magnetic moment of surface atoms using EPR-STM.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2021

A two-terminal spin valve device controlled by spin-orbit torques with enhanced giant magnetoresistance

We report on the combination of current-induced spin-orbit torques and giant magnetoresistance in a single device to achieve all-electrical write and read out of the magnetization. The device consists of perpendicularly magnetized TbCo and Co layers separated by a Pt or Cu spacer. Current injection through such layers exerts spin-orbit torques and switches the magnetization of the Co layer while the TbCo magnetization remains fixed. Subsequent current injection of lower amplitude senses the relative orientation of the magnetization of the Co and TbCo layers, which results in two distinct resistance levels for parallel and antiparallel alignment due to the current-in-plane giant magnetoresistance effect. We further show that the giant magnetoresistance of devices including a single TbCo/spacer/Co trilayer can be improved from 0.02% to 6% by using a Cu spacer instead of Pt. This type of devices offers an alternative route to a two terminal spintronic memory that can be fabricated with moderate effort.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2021

Spin-orbit torques and magnetotransport properties of $α$-Sn and $β$-Sn heterostructures

Topological insulators have emerged as an important material class for efficient spin-charge interconversion. Most topological insulators considered to date are binary or ternary compounds, with the exception of $α$-Sn. Here we report a comprehensive characterization of the growth, magnetotransport properties, and current-induced spin-orbit torques of $α$-Sn and $β$-Sn-based ferromagnetic heterostructures. We show that $α$-Sn grown with a Bi surfactant on CdTe(001) promotes large spin-orbit torques in a ferromagnetic FeCo layer at room temperature, comparable to Pt, whereas $α$-Sn grown without Bi surfactant and the non-topological phase, $β$-Sn, induce lower torques. The dampinglike and fieldlike spin-orbit torque efficiency in $α$-Sn with Bi are 0.12 and 0.18, respectively. Further, we show that $α$-Sn grown with and without Bi presents a spin Hall-like magnetoresistance comparable to that found in heavy metal/ferromagnet bilayers. Our work demonstrates direct and efficient charge-to-spin conversion in $α$-Sn ferromagnetic heterostructures, showing that $α$-Sn is a promising material for current-induced magnetization control in spintronic devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2021

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

Ultra-fast dynamics, insensitivity to external magnetic fields, or absence of magnetic stray fields are examples of properties that make antiferromagnets of potential use in the development of spintronic devices. Similar to their ferromagnetic counterparts, antiferromagnets can store information in the orientations of the collective magnetic order vector. However, also in analogy to ferromagnets, the readout magnetoresistivity signals in simple antiferromagnetic films have been weak and the extension of the electrical reorientation mechanism to optics has not been achieved. Here we report reversible and reproducible quenching of an antiferromagnetic CuMnAs film by either electrical or ultrashort optical pulses into nano-fragmented domain states. The resulting resistivity changes 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. The analog time-dependent switching and relaxation characteristics of our devices can mimic functionality of spiking neural network components.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2021

Control of nonlocal magnon spin transport via magnon drift currents

Spin transport via magnon diffusion in magnetic insulators is important for a broad range of spin-based phenomena and devices. However, the absence of the magnon equivalent of an electric force is a bottleneck. In this work, we demonstrate the controlled generation of magnon drift currents in yttrium iron garnet/platinum heterostructures. By performing electrical injection and detection of incoherent magnons, we find magnon drift currents that stem from the interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. We can further control the magnon drift by the orientation of the magnetic field. The drift current changes the magnon propagation length by up to $\pm$ 6 % relative to diffusion. We generalize the magnonic spin transport theory to include a finite drift velocity resulting from any inversion asymmetric interaction, and obtain results consistent with our experiments.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2021

Interplay of voltage control of magnetic anisotropy, spin transfer torque, and heat in the spin-orbit torque switching in three-terminal magnetic tunnel junctions

We use three-terminal magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) designed for field-free switching by spin-orbit torques (SOTs) to systematically study the impact of dual voltage pulses on the switching performances. We show that the concurrent action of an SOT pulse and an MTJ bias pulse allows for reducing the critical switching energy below the level typical of spin transfer torque while preserving the ability to switch the MTJ on the sub-ns time scale. By performing dc and real-time electrical measurements, we discriminate and quantify three effects arising from the MTJ bias: the voltage-controlled change of the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, current-induced heating, and the spin transfer torque. The experimental results are supported by micromagnetic modeling. We observe that, depending on the pulse duration and the MTJ diameter, different effects take a lead in assisting the SOTs in the magnetization reversal process. Finally, we present a compact model that allows for evaluating the impact of each effect due to the MTJ bias on the critical switching parameters. Our results provide input to optimize the switching of three-terminal devices as a function of time, size, and material parameters.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗