Capping Layer (CL) Induced Antidamping in CL/Py/β-W System (CL: Al, β-Ta, Cu, β-W).

Abstract

For achieving ultrafast switching speed and minimizing dissipation losses, the spin-based data storage device requires a control on effective damping (αeff) of nanomagnetic bits. Incorporation of interfacial antidamping spin orbit torque (SOT) in spintronic devices therefore has high prospects for enhancing their performance efficiency. Clear evidence of such an interfacial antidamping is found in Al capped Py(15 nm)/β-W(tW)/Si (Py = Ni81Fe19 and tW = thickness of β-W), which is in contrast to the increase of αeff (i.e., damping) usually associated with spin pumping as seen in Py(15 nm)/β-W(tW)/Si system. Because of spin pumping, the interfacial spin mixing conductance (g↑↓) at Py/β-W interface and spin diffusion length (λSD) of β-W are found to be 1.63(±0.02) × 1018 m-2 (1.44(±0.02) × 1018 m-2) and 1.42(±0.19) nm (1.00(±0.10) nm) for Py(15 nm)/β-W(tW)/Si (β-W(tW)/Py(15 nm)/Si) bilayer systems. Other different nonmagnetic capping layers (CL), namely, β-W(2 nm), Cu(2 nm), and β-Ta(2,3,4 nm) were also grown over the same Py(15 nm)/β-W(tW). However, antidamping is seen only in β-Ta(2,3 nm)/Py(15 nm)/β-W(tW)/Si. This decrease in αeff is attributed to the interfacial Rashba like SOT generated by nonequilibrium spin accumulation subsequent to the spin pumping. Contrary to this, when interlayer positions of Py(15 nm) and β-W(tW) is interchanged irrespective of the fixed top nonmagnetic layer, an increase of αeff is observed, which is ascribed to spin pumping from Py to β-W layer.