Enhancement of spin-orbit torque efficiency by tailoring interfacial spin-orbit coupling in Pt-based magnetic multilayers

Abstract

We study inserting Co layer thickness-dependent spin transport and spin–orbit torques (SOTs) in the Pt/Co/Py trilayers by spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance. The interfacial perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (IPMA) energy density (K s = 2.7 erg/cm2, 1 erg = 10−7 J), which is dominated by interfacial spin–orbit coupling (ISOC) in the Pt/Co interface, total effective spin-mixing conductance ) and two-magnon scattering (β TMS = 0.46 nm2) are first characterized, and the damping-like torque (ξ DL = 0.103) and field-like torque (ξ FL = –0.017) efficiencies are also calculated quantitatively by varying the thickness of the inserting Co layer. The significant enhancement of ξ DL and ξ FL in Pt/Co/Py than Pt/Py bilayer system originates from the interfacial Rashba–Edelstein effect due to the strong ISOC between Co-3d and Pt-5d orbitals at the Pt/Co interface. Additionally, we find a considerable out-of-plane spin polarization SOT, which is ascribed to the spin anomalous Hall effect and possible spin precession effect due to IPMA-induced perpendicular magnetization at the Pt/Co interface. Our results demonstrate that the ISOC of the Pt/Co interface plays a vital role in spin transport and SOTs-generation. Our finds offer an alternative approach to improve the conventional SOTs efficiencies and generate unconventional SOTs with out-of-plane spin polarization to develop low power Pt-based spintronic via tailoring the Pt/FM interface.