arXiv subjects

Rafael Ramos

Publications and source records attributed to Rafael Ramos.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Boosting the Memory Window of Memristive Stacks via Engineered Interfaces with High Ionic Mobility

Realizing the potential of oxide-based memristive devices for high-density data storage and energy-efficient computing still relies on overcoming key technical challenges, including the need for a larger number of stable resistance states, faster switching speeds, lower SET/RESET voltages, improved endurance, and reduced variability. Addressing these limitations requires innovative material design strategies. Here, we demonstrate that introducing a thin layer of oxide-ion conductor SrCoO3-x between the metal and the SrTiO3-based memristive elements expands the number of distinguishable resistance states from about 8 to about 22. This modification also reduced the SET/RESET voltage by 50% and markedly improved device endurance, albeit with a trade-off of reduced state retention. To assess the performance of this architecture, we trained a two-layer fully connected neural network using the experimental SrTiO3/SrCoO3-x memristor characteristics on the MNIST handwritten digit dataset. Networks with hidden-layer sizes between 64 and 256 neurons achieved classification errors below 7%. Finally, we confirmed the transferability of this interface-engineering approach by applying it to HfOx-based devices, achieving a consistent enhancement in the resistive state window.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

The coupling of polarization and oxygen vacancy migration in ferroelectric Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin films enables electrically controlled thermal memories above room temperature

Here we investigate epitaxial Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 ferroelectric thin films as potential candidates to be used as non-volatile electric-field-modulated thermal memories. The electric-field dependence of the thermal conductivity of metal/Hf0.5Zr0.5O2/YSZ devices is found to be hysteretic, resembling the polarization vs electric field hysteresis loops, being maximum (minimum) at large applied positive (negative) voltages from the top metallic electrode. This dynamic thermal response is compatible with the coupling between the ferroelectric polarization and the oxygen ion migration, in which the oxygen vacancies are the main phonon scattering sources and the polarization acts as an electrically active ion migration barrier that creates the hysteresis. This new mechanism enables two non-volatile thermal states: high (ON) and low (OFF) thermal conductivity, with an ON/OFF ratio of 1.6. Both the ON and OFF states exhibit high stability over time, though the switching speed is limited by ion mobility in the YSZ electrode.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

All optical excitation of spin polarization in d-wave altermagnets

The recently discovered altermagnets exhibit collinear magnetic order with zero net magnetization but with unconventional spin-polarized d/g/i-wave band structures, expanding the known paradigms of ferromagnets and antiferromagnets. In addition to novel current-driven electronic transport effects, the unconventional time-reversal symmetry breaking in these systems also makes it possible to obtain a spin response to \emph{linearly polarized} fields in the optical frequency domain. We show through ab-initio calculations of the prototypical d-wave altermagnet RuO$_2$, with a symmetry combining twofold spin rotation with fourfold lattice rotation, $[C_2\|C_{4z}]$, that there is an optical analogue of a spin splitter effect, as the coupling to a linearly polarized exciting laser field makes the d-wave character of the altermagnet directly visible. By magneto-optical measurements on RuO$_2$ films of different thicknesses ranging from $2$ to $8\,$nanometers, we demonstrate the predicted connection of the linear polarization of an ultrashort pump pulse to the sign and magnitude of the optically excited electronic spin polarization in the ultrathin RuO$_2$ films. The possibility of exciting and controlling an electronic spin polarization by linearly polarized optical pulses in a compensated system is a unique consequence of the altermagnetic material properties. Our experimental results therefore establish an optical pump-probe based protocol for detection of altermagnetic characteristics in ultrathin RuO$_2$ films, but our all-optical approach should apply more generally to materials in this altermagnetic symmetry class.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2023

Mechanism of electrical switching of ultra-thin CoO/Pt bilayers

We study current-induced switching of the Néel vector in CoO/Pt bilayers to understand the underlaying antiferromagnetic switching mechanism. Surprisingly, we find that for ultra-thin CoO/Pt bilayers electrical pulses along the same path can lead to an increase or decrease of the spin Hall magnetoresistance signal, depending on the current density of the pulse. By comparing the results of these electrical measurements to XMLD-PEEM imaging of the antiferromagnetic domain structure before and after the application of current pulses, we reveal the reorientation of the Néel vector in ultra-thin CoO(4 nm). This allows us to determine that even opposite resistance changes can result from a thermomagnetoelastic switching mechanism. Importantly, our spatially resolved imaging shows that regions where the current pulses are applied and regions further away exhibit different switched spin structures, which can be explained by a spin-orbit torque based switching mechanism that can dominate in very thin films.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2023

Laser-induced Creation of antiferromagnetic 180-degree domains in NiO/Pt bilayers

We demonstrate how the antiferromagnetic order in heterostructures of NiO/Pt thin films can be modified by optical pulses. We irradiate our samples with laser light and identify an optically induced creation of antiferromagnetic domains by imaging the created domain structure utilizing the X-ray magnetic linear dichroism effect. We study the effect of different laser polarizations on the domain formation and identify a polarization-independent creation of 180° domain walls and domains with 180° different Néel vector orientation. By varying the irradiation parameters, we determine the switching mechanism to be thermally induced and demonstrate the reversibility. We thus demonstrate experimentally the possibility to optically create antiferromagnetic domains, an important step towards future functionalization of all optical switching mechanisms in antiferromagnets.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2022

Composition-tunable magnon-polaron anomalies in spin Seebeck effects in epitaxial Bi$_x$Y$_{3-x}$Fe$_{5}$O$_{12}$ films

We have investigated hybridized magnon-phonon excitation (magnon polarons) in spin Seebeck effects (SSEs) in Bi$_x$Y$_{3-x}$Fe$_{5}$O$_{12}$ (Bi$_x$Y$_{3-x}$IG; $x=0$, $0.5$, and $0.9$) films with Pt contact. We observed sharp peak structures in the magnetic field $H$ dependence of the longitudinal SSE (LSSE) voltages, which appear when the phonon dispersions are tangential to the magnon dispersion curve in Bi$_x$Y$_{3-x}$IG. By increasing the Bi amount $x$, the peak fields in the LSSE shift toward lower $H$ values due to the reduction of the sound velocities in Bi$_x$Y$_{3-x}$IG. We also measured the SSE in a nonlocal configuration and found that magnon-polaron anomalies appear with different signs and intensities. Our result shows composition-tunability of magnon-polaron anomalies and provides a clue to further unravel the physics of magnon-polaron SSEs.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2022

Identifiying the domain wall spin structure in current-induced switching of antiferromagnetic NiO/Pt

The understanding of antiferromagnetic domain walls, which are the interface between domains with different Néel order orientations, is a crucial aspect to enable the use of antiferromagnetic materials as active elements in future spintronic devices. In this work, we demonstrate that in antiferromagnetic NiO/Pt bilayers circular domain structures can be generated by switching driven by electrical current pulses. The generated domains are T-domains, separated from each other by a domain wall whose spins are pointing toward the average direction of the two T-domains rather than the common axis of the two planes. Interestingly, this direction is the same for the whole circular domain indicating the absence of strong Lifshitz invariants. The domain wall can be micromagnetically modeled by strain distributions in the NiO thin film induced by the MgO substrate, deviating from the bulk anisotropy. From our measurements we determine the domain wall width to have a full width at half maximum of $Δ= 98 \pm 10$ nm, demonstrating strong confinement.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2022

Strain-induced Shape Anisotropy in Antiferromagnetic Structures

We demonstrate how shape-induced strain can be used to control antiferromagnetic order in NiO/Pt thin films. For rectangular elements patterned along the easy and hard magnetocrystalline anisotropy axes of our film, we observe different domain structures and we identify magnetoelastic interactions that are distinct for different domain configurations. We reproduce the experimental observations by modeling the magnetoelastic interactions, considering spontaneous strain induced by the domain configuration, as well as elastic strain due to the substrate and the shape of the patterns. This allows us to demonstrate and explain how the variation of the aspect ratio of rectangular elements can be used to control the antiferromagnetic ground state domain configuration. Shape-dependent strain does not only need to be considered in the design of antiferromagnetic devices, but can potentially be used to tailor their properties, providing an additional handle to control antiferromagnets.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2022

Thermal spin current generation in the multifunctional ferrimagnet Ga$_{0.6}$Fe$_{1.4}$O$_{3}$

In recent years, multifunctional materials have attracted increasing interest for magnetic memories and energy harvesting applications. Magnetic insulating materials are of special interest for this purpose, since they allow the design of more efficient devices due to the lower Joule heat losses. In this context, Ga$_{0.6}$Fe$_{1.4}$O$_3$ (GFO) is a good candidate for spintronics applications, since it can exhibit multiferroicity and presents a spin Hall magnetoresistance similar to the one observed in a yttrium iron garnet (YIG)/Pt bilayer. Here, we explore GFO utilizing thermo-spin measurements in an on-chip approach. By carefully considering the geometry of our thermo-spin devices we are able to quantify the spin Seebeck effect and the spin current generation in a GFO/Pt bilayer, obtaining a value comparable to that of YIG/Pt. This further confirms the promises of an efficient spin current generation with the possibility of an electric-field manipulation of the magnetic properties of the system in an insulating ferrimagnetic material.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2022

Deciphering quantum fingerprints in electric conductance

When the electric conductance of a nano-sized metal is measured at low temperatures, it often exhibits complex but reproducible patterns as a function of external magnetic fields, called quantum fingerprints in electric conductance. Such complex patterns are due to quantum-mechanical interference of conduction electrons; when thermal disturbance is feeble and coherence of the electrons extends all over the sample, the quantum interference pattern reflects microscopic structures, such as crystalline defects and the shape of the sample, giving rise to complicated interference. Although the interference pattern carries such microscopic information, it looks so random that it has not been analysed. Here we show that machine learning allows us to decipher quantum fingerprints; fingerprint patterns in magneto-conductance are shown to be transcribed into spatial images of electron wave function intensities (WIs) in a sample by using generative machine learning. The output WIs reveal quantum interference states of conduction electrons, as well as sample shapes. The present result augments the human ability to identify quantum states, and it should allow microscopy of quantum nanostructures in materials by making use of quantum fingerprints.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2022

Indirect optical manipulation of the antiferromagnetic order of insulating NiO by ultrafast interfacial energy transfer

We report the ultrafast, (sub)picosecond reduction of the antiferromagnetic order of the insulating NiO thin film in a Pt/NiO bilayer. This reduction of the antiferromagnetic order is not present in pure NiO thin films after a strong optical excitation. This ultrafast phenomenon is attributed to an ultrafast and highly efficient energy transfer from the optically excited electron system of the Pt layer into the NiO spin system. We propose that this energy transfer is mediated by a stochastic exchange scattering of hot Pt electrons at the Pt/NiO interface.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2021

Full angular dependence of the spin Hall and ordinary magnetoresistance in epitaxial antiferromagnetic NiO(001)/Pt thin films

We report the observation of the three-dimensional angular dependence of the spin Hall magnetoresistance (SMR) in a bilayer of the epitaxial antiferromagnetic insulator NiO(001) and the heavy metal Pt, without any ferromagnetic element. The detected angular-dependent longitudinal and transverse magnetoresistances are measured by rotating the sample in magnetic fields up to 11 T, along three orthogonal planes (xy-, yz- and xz-rotation planes, where the z-axis is orthogonal to the sample plane). The total magnetoresistance has contributions arising from both the SMR and ordinary magnetoresistance. The onset of the SMR signal occurs between 1 and 3 T and no saturation is visible up to 11 T. The three-dimensional angular dependence of the SMR can be explained by a model considering the reversible field-induced redistribution of magnetostrictive antiferromagnetic S- and T-domains in the NiO(001), stemming from the competition between the Zeeman energy and the elastic clamping effect of the non-magnetic MgO substrate. From the observed SMR ratio, we estimate the spin mixing conductance at the NiO/Pt interface to be greater than $2\times10^{14}$ $Ω^{-1}$ $m^{-2}$. Our results demonstrate the possibility to electrically detect the Néel vector direction in stable NiO(001) thin films, for rotations in the xy- and xz- planes. Moreover, we show that a careful subtraction of the ordinary magnetoresistance contribution is crucial to correctly estimate the amplitude of the SMR.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2021

Identification of Néel vector orientation in antiferromagnetic domains switched by currents in NiO/Pt thin films

Understanding the electrical manipulation of antiferromagnetic order is a crucial aspect to enable the design of antiferromagnetic devices working at THz frequency. Focusing on collinear insulating antiferromagnetic NiO/Pt thin films as a materials platform, we identify the crystallographic orientation of the domains that can be switched by currents and quantify the Néel vector direction changes. We demonstrate electrical switching between different T-domains by current pulses, finding that the Néel vector orientation in these domains is along $[\pm5\ \pm5\ 19]$, different compared to the bulk $<11\bar{2}>$ directions. The final state of the Néel vector $\textbf{n}$ switching after current pulses $\textbf{j}$ along the $[1\ \pm1\ 0]$ directions is $\textbf{n}\parallel \textbf{j}$. By comparing the observed Néel vector orientation and the strain in the thin films, assuming that this variation arises solely from magnetoelastic effects, we quantify the order of magnitude of the magnetoelastic coupling coefficient as $b_{0}+2b_{1}=3*10^7 J\ m^{-3}$ . This information is key for the understanding of current-induced switching in antiferromagnets and for the design and use of such devices as active elements in spintronic devices.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2021

Efficient spin torques in antiferromagnetic CoO/Pt quantified by comparing field- and current- induced switching

We achieve current-induced switching in collinear insulating antiferromagnetic CoO/Pt, with fourfold in-plane magnetic anisotropy. This is measured electrically by spin Hall magnetoresistance and confirmed by the magnetic field-induced spin-flop transition of the CoO layer. By applying current pulses and magnetic fields, we quantify the efficiency of the acting current-induced torques and estimate a current-field equivalence ratio of $4x10^{-11} T A^{-1} m^2$. The Néel vector final state ($n \perp j$) is in line with a thermomagnetoelastic switching mechanism for a negative magnetoelastic constant of the CoO.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2020

Concurrent magneto-optical imaging and magneto-transport readout of electrical switching of insulating antiferromagnetic thin films

We demonstrate stable and reversible current induced switching of large-area ($> 100\;μm^2$) antiferromagnetic domains in NiO/Pt by performing concurrent transport and magneto-optical imaging measurements in an adapted Kerr microscope. By correlating the magnetic images of the antiferromagnetic domain changes and magneto-transport signal response in these current-induced switching experiments, we disentangle magnetic and non-magnetic contributions to the transport signal. Our table-top approach establishes a robust procedure to subtract the non-magnetic contributions in the transport signal and extract the spin-Hall magnetoresistance response associated with the switching of the antiferromagnetic domains enabling one to deduce details of the antiferromagnetic switching from simple transport measurements.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2020

Absence of evidence of spin transport through amorphous Y$_3$Fe$_5$O$_{12}$

Long-distance transport of spin information in insulators without long-range magnetic order has been recently reported. Here, we perform a complete characterization of amorphous Y$_3$Fe$_5$O$_{12}$ (a-YIG) films grown on top of SiO$_2$. We confirm a clear amorphous structure and paramagnetic behavior of our a-YIG films, with semiconducting behavior resistivity that strongly decays with increasing temperature. The non-local transport measurements show a signal which is not compatible with spin transport and can be attributed to the drop of the a-YIG resistivity caused by Joule heating. Our results emphasize that exploring spin transport in amorphous materials requires careful procedures in order to exclude the charge contribution from the spin transport signals.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2019

Magnon polarons in the spin Peltier effect

We report the observation of anomalous peak structures induced by hybridized magnon-phonon excitation (magnon polarons) in the magnetic field dependence of the spin Peltier effect (SPE) in a Lu$_{2}$Bi$_{1}$Fe$_{4}$Ga$_{1}$O$_{12}$ (BiGa:LuIG) with Pt contact. The SPE peaks coincide with magnetic fields tuned to the threshold of magnon-polaron formation, consistent with the previous observation in the spin Seebeck effect. The enhancement of SPE is attributed to the lifetime increase in spin current caused by magnon-phonon hybridization in BiGa:LuIG.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2019

Mechanism of Néel order switching in antiferromagnetic thin films revealed by magnetotransport and direct imaging

We probe the current-induced magnetic switching of insulating antiferromagnet/heavy metals systems, by electrical spin Hall magnetoresistance measurements and direct imaging, identifying a reversal occurring by domain wall (DW) motion. We observe switching of more than one third of the antiferromagnetic domains by the application of current pulses. Our data reveal two different magnetic switching mechanisms leading together to an efficient switching, namely the spin-current induced effective magnetic anisotropy variation and the action of the spin torque on the DWs.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗