Antiferromagnetic System Research Articles

Propeller‐Shaped Blatter‐Based Triradicals: Distortion‐Free Triangular Spin System and Spin‐State‐Dependent Photophysical Properties

Herein, we report the synthesis and properties of triptycene‐based C3v‐ and Cs‐symmetric stable radical trimers. SQUID magnetometry showed the propeller‐shaped trimers were both an antiferromagnetic equilateral triangle spin system with small spin‐spin interaction J/kB ~ −120 K and –106 K, leading to ca. 4/6 coexistence of the doublet/quartet states in thermal equilibrium at room temperature. The trimers exhibited characteristic NIR absorption bands reaching 1000 nm, which was solely ascribed to the triradical in the doublet state by variable‐temperature spectroscopic studies and quantum chemical calculations. Taking advantage of the spin‐specific absorption feature, we found that the triradicals in the low‐spin state undergo symmetry‐breaking charge transfer, while those in the high‐spin state fall into a monomer‐like excited state.

Propeller-Shaped Blatter-Based Triradicals: Distortion-Free Triangular Spin System and Spin-State-Dependent Photophysical Properties.

Herein, we report the synthesis and properties of triptycene-based C3v- and Cs-symmetric stable radical trimers. SQUID magnetometry showed the propeller-shaped trimers were both an antiferromagnetic equilateral triangle spin system with small spin-spin interaction J/kB ~ -120 K and -106 K, leading to ca. 4/6 coexistence of the doublet/quartet states in thermal equilibrium at room temperature. The trimers exhibited characteristic NIR absorption bands reaching 1000 nm, which was solely ascribed to the triradical in the doublet state by variable-temperature spectroscopic studies and quantum chemical calculations. Taking advantage of the spin-specific absorption feature, we found that the triradicals in the low-spin state undergo symmetry-breaking charge transfer, while those in the high-spin state fall into a monomer-like excited state.

Experimental electronic phase diagram in a diamond-lattice antiferromagnetic system

Experimental electronic phase diagram in a diamond-lattice antiferromagnetic system

Control of spin-wave polarity and velocity using a ferrimagnetic domain wall

We present a theoretical study of the scattering of spin waves by a domain wall (DW) in a ferrimagnetic (FiM) spin chain in which two sublattices carry spins of unequal magnitudes. We find that a narrow but atomically smooth FiM DW exhibits a different behavior in comparison with similarly smooth ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic DWs due to the inequivalence of the two sublattices. Specifically, for sufficiently weak anisotropy, the smaller spin at the center of the DW is found to become precisely normal to the easy axis, selecting an arbitrary direction in the xy plane and thereby breaking the U(1) spin-rotational symmetry spontaneously. This particular form of a FiM DW does not occur in antiferromagnetic systems and is shown to lead to a strong dependence of spin-wave scattering pattern on the state of polarization of the spin wave, which can be either right-handed or left-handed, suggesting the utilization of such a narrow DW as a spin-wave filter. Moreover, we find that in the case of an atomically sharp DW, where all the spins point either up or down due to strong easy-axis anisotropy and therefore the polarization of the spin wave is conserved upon transmission, the wave vector of the spin-wave changes after passing through the DW leading to a change in the group velocity of the spin wave. This change of the wave vector indicates the acceleration or deceleration of the spin waves and thus a sharp FiM DW could serve as a spin-wave accelerator or decelerator in spintronics devices, offering a functionality absent in a ferromagnetic and an antiferromagnetic counterpart. Our results indicate that FiM spin textures can interact with spin waves distinctly from ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic counterparts, suggesting that they may offer spin-wave functionalities that are absent in more conventional magnets. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

PT Symmetry Breaking Induced Anomalous Valley Hall Effect in 2D Antiferromagnetic Semiconductor.

Realizing the anomalous valley Hall (AVH) effect in two-dimensional (2D) materials is of crucial importance for information processing and recording technology. While the research in this field mainly focuses on ferromagnetic systems, little is known about antiferromagnetic systems. Here, using k·p model analysis, we report a novel mechanism of realizing the AVH effect in 2D antiferromagnetic materials. This physics is related to the PT symmetry breaking induced by intrinsic staggered sublattice potential, which is introduced by asymmetric magnetic ions located at different sublattices. With reversal of the magnetic orientation on different sublattices, the AVH effect can be reversed. Based on first-principles calculations, we further demonstrate this mechanism in an antiferromagnetic monolayer of NiRuCl6. Intriguingly, due to the d orbital mismatch near the Fermi level, monolayer NiRuCl6 simultaneously owns zero net magnetization and large spin splitting and valley polarizations, which facilitates the observation of the AVH effect. Our findings greatly enrich the research on valley physics in antiferromagnetic systems.

Exchange bias and topological Hall effect of Fe and Co intercalated NbS2 single crystals

In recent years, the topological Hall effect generated by noncoplanar magnetic structures has been studied extensively. Some two-dimensional chalcogenides with 3d transition metal intercalations also exhibit similar properties. In this study, we investigated the crystalline structure and the magnetic and transport properties of Fe and Co codoped NbS2 single crystals. The structural results indicate disorder between the Fe and Co atoms within the interlayers of NbS2. Magnetic measurements showed that the vertical exchange bias effect appeared below the Néel temperature (TN), with a maximum value of approximately 2.5 mμB/f.u. at 2 K, which can be ascribed to the appearance of a spin-glass state. Additionally, accompanying the antiferromagnetic phase transition, nontrivial electrical transport properties were observed. Below TN, the magnetoresistance became positive and exhibited an initial increase, followed by a decrease with decreasing temperature. The Hall resistivity shows a hump-like curve near TN, indicating a topological Hall effect. This behavior is related to fluctuations in the spin chirality, which affects the scattering of charge carriers. Based on the correlation between the magnetoresistance and Hall resistivity responses, it is believed that the magnetic moments of the doped Fe and Co atoms in a single crystal compete with each other near the Néel temperature, resulting in complex magnetic structures such as noncoplanar and noncollinear arrangements. Such a two-dimensional antiferromagnetic material system provides an ideal platform for studying unconventional transport mechanisms.

Bright and Dark ILSM in a bilinear and biquadratic antiferromagnetic spin lattice

In the semiclassical limit, we investigate the intrinsic localized spin-wave modes (ILSM) in an antiferromagnetic spin system with bilinear, biquadratic and D-M interactions. Derivation of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation for the coherent-state amplitude involves the introduction of the multiple scale approximation paired with a quasi discreteness approximation. Consequently, we discover that the oscillatory frequency of the Bright–Dark stationary type ILSM’s can appear below the linear spin wave spectrum and the Bright–Dark type kink lies below the upper of the linear spin-wave spectrum. The effect of the interaction parameters in the system is also examined.

Antiferromagnetic Ising model in a triangular vortex lattice of quantum fluids of light.

Vortices are topologically distinctive objects appearing as phase twists in coherent fields of optical beams and Bose-Einstein condensates. Structured networks and artificial lattices of coupled vortices could offer a powerful platform to study and simulate interaction mechanisms between constituents of condensed matter systems, such as antiferromagnetic interactions, by replacement of spin angular momentum with orbital angular momentum. Here, we realize such a platform using a macroscopic quantum fluid of light based on exciton-polariton condensates. We imprint all-optical hexagonal lattice that results into a triangular vortex lattice, with each cell having a vortex of charge l = ±1. We reveal that pairs of coupled condensates spontaneously arrange their orbital angular momentum antiparallel, implying a form of artificial orbital "antiferromagnetism." We discover that correlation exists between the emergent vortex patterns in triangular condensate lattices and the low-energy solutions of the corresponding antiferromagnetic Ising system. Our study offers a path toward spontaneously ordered vortex arrays with nearly arbitrary configurations and controlled couplings.

Identifying the Origin of Thermal Modulation of Exchange Bias in MnPS3/Fe3GeTe2 van der Waals Heterostructures.

The exchange bias phenomenon, inherent in exchange-coupled ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic systems, has intrigued researchers for decades. Van der Waals materials, with their layered structures, offer an ideal platform for exploring exchange bias. However, effectively manipulating exchange bias in van der Waals heterostructures remains challenging. This study investigates the origin of exchange bias in MnPS3/Fe3GeTe2 van der Waals heterostructures, demonstrating a method to modulate nearly 1000% variation in magnitude through simple thermal cycling. Despite the compensated interfacial spin configuration of MnPS3, a substantial 170 mT exchange bias is observed at 5 K, one of the largest observed in van der Waals heterostructures. This significant exchange bias is linked to anomalous weak ferromagnetic ordering in MnPS3 below 40 K. The tunability of exchange bias during thermal cycling is attributed to the amorphization and changes in the van der Waals gap during field cooling. The findings highlight a robust and adjustable exchange bias in van der Waals heterostructures, presenting a straightforward method to enhance other interface-related spintronic phenomena for practical applications. Detailed interface analysis reveals atom migration between layers, forming amorphous regions on either side of the van der Waals gap, emphasizing the importance of precise interface characterization in these heterostructures.

OAM Driven Nucleation of Sub‐50 nm Compact Antiferromagnetic Skyrmions

AbstractOwing to their high mobility and immunity to topological deflection, skyrmions in antiferromagnetic (AFM) systems are gaining attention as a potential solution for next‐generation magnetic data storage. Synthetic antiferromagnets (SAFs) offer a promising avenue to tune the properties of the individual magnetic layers, facilitating the conditions necessary for skyrmions to be used in practical devices. Despite recent advancements achieving fast skyrmion mobility, the nucleation of small and rigid circular skyrmions without an external field remains challenging in SAFs. Theoretical predictions suggest that optical vortex (OAM) beams can stabilize skyrmionic spin textures by transferring their spin and orbital angular momentum to the magnetic material. Here, this intriguing proposal is delved into and the creation of sub‐50 nm compact skyrmions in SAFs using OAM beams is successfully demonstrated, eliminating the need for external magnetic fields. Additionally, the results underscore the importance of beam energy and the number of pulses, as both factors play critical roles in the stabilization of these AFM skyrmionic textures. This breakthrough is significant as it paves the way for stabilizing true zero‐field skyrmions in AFM systems, where magnetization is minimally affected by external magnetic fields. This work will open a potential avenue for stabilizing small, compact skyrmions in antiferroic systems, facilitating their implementation in logic and memory devices.

Magnon Excitation Modes in Ferromagnetic and Antiferromagnetic Systems

Magnons, recognized as the quanta of spin waves, offer a pathway for transmitting information without the need for electron motion, thus emerging as a leading candidate for the next generation of low-power electronics. Firstly, this study gives an overview by examining magnon modes possessing infinite wavelengths or zero wave numbers (known as ferromagnetic resonance) in classical ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic, and synthetic antiferromagnetic systems. It delves into the dynamics of magnetization, particularly focusing on magnetic moments precession and the corresponding dispersion relationships under two distinct acoustic and optic eigenmodes. Furthermore, it elaborates on a novel hybrid quantum system termed magnon-magnon coupling. The study elucidates the mechanism behind the robust coupling between acoustic and optic magnon modes. Finally, we briefly discuss the current challenges and future research directions in this field.

Asymmetric Manipulation of Perpendicular Exchange Bias and Programmable Spin Logical Cells by Spin-Orbit Torque in a Ferromagnet/Antiferromagnet System.

Antiferromagnets are competitive candidates for the next generation of spintronic devices owing to their superiority in small-scale and low-power-consumption devices. The electrical manipulation of the magnetization and exchange bias (EB) driven by spin-orbit torque (SOT) in ferromagnetic (FM)/antiferromagnetic (AFM) systems has become focused in spintronics. Here, the realization of a large perpendicular EB field in Co/IrMn and the effective manipulation of the magnetic moments of the magnetic Co layer and EB field by SOT in Pt/Co/IrMn system is reported. During the SOT-driven switching process, an asymmetrically manipulated state is observed. Current pulses with the same amplitude but opposite directions induce different magnetization states. Magneto-optical Kerr measurements reveal that this is due to the coexistence of stable and metastable antiferromagnetic domains in the AFM. Exploiting the asymmetric properties of these FM/AFM structures, five spin logic gates, namely AND, OR, NOR, NAND, and NOT, are realized in a single cell via SOT. This study provides an insight into the special ability of SOT on AFMs and also paves an avenue to construct the logic-in-memory and neuromorphic computing cells based on the AFM spintronic system.

Strain-Induced Robust Exchange Bias Effect in Epitaxial La0.7Sr0.3MnO3/LaFeO3 Bilayers.

The ground state of correlated electrons in complex oxide films can be controlled by applying epitaxial strain, offering the potential to produce unexpected phenomena applicable to modern spintronic devices. In this study, we demonstrate that substrate-induced strain strongly affects the coupling mode of interfacial magnetic moments in a ferromagnetic (FM)/antiferromagnetic (AFM) system. In an epitaxial bilayer comprising AFM LaFeO3 (LFO) and FM La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO), samples grown on a LaAlO3 (LAO) substrate exhibit a larger exchange bias field than those grown on a SrTiO3 substrate. Our results indicate a transition in the alignment of magnetic moments from perpendicular to collinear due to the large compressive strain exerted by the LAO substrate. Collinear magnetic moments at the LSMO/LFO interface generate strong exchange coupling, leading to a considerable exchange bias effect. Thus, our findings provide a method for tailoring and manipulating the orientations of magnetic moments at the FM/AFM heterogeneous interface using strain engineering, thereby augmenting methods for exchange bias generation.

Synthesis and in-depth structure determination of a novel metastable high-pressure CrTe3 phase

This study reports the synthesis and crystal structure determination of a novel CrTe3 phase using various experimental and theoretical methods. The average stoichiometry and local phase separation of this quenched high-pressure phase were characterized by ex situ synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction and total scattering. Several structural models were obtained using simulated annealing, but all suffered from an imperfect Rietveld refinement, especially at higher diffraction angles. Finally, a novel stoichiometrically correct crystal structure model was proposed on the basis of electron diffraction data and refined against powder diffraction data using the Rietveld method. Scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX) measurements verified the targeted 1:3 (Cr:Te) average stoichiometry for the starting compound and for the quenched high-pressure phase within experimental errors. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM)–EDX was used to examine minute variations of the Cr-to-Te ratio at the nanoscale. Precession electron diffraction (PED) experiments were applied for the nanoscale structure analysis of the quenched high-pressure phase. The proposed monoclinic model from PED experiments provided an improved fit to the X-ray patterns, especially after introducing atomic anisotropic displacement parameters and partial occupancy of Cr atoms. Atomic resolution STEM and simulations were conducted to identify variations in the Cr-atom site-occupancy factor. No significant variations were observed experimentally for several zone axes. The magnetic properties of the novel CrTe3 phase were investigated through temperature- and field-dependent magnetization measurements. In order to understand these properties, auxiliary theoretical investigations have been performed by first-principles electronic structure calculations and Monte Carlo simulations. The obtained results allow the observed magnetization behavior to be interpreted as the consequence of competition between the applied magnetic field and the Cr–Cr exchange interactions, leading to a decrease of the magnetization towards T = 0 K typical for antiferromagnetic systems, as well as a field-induced enhanced magnetization around the critical temperature due to the high magnetic susceptibility in this region.

Classical spin-liquid behavior in interactionally distorted antiferromagnetic spin systems on the kagome lattice

The influence of an interaction distortion of the antiferromagnetic system on the kagome lattice on its magnetic and thermodynamic properties is investigated in the framework of the antiferromagnetic J1−J2−J3 spin-1/2 Ising system with three different nearest-neighbor antiferromagnetic interactions on the star kagome-like recursive lattice. The exact solution of the model is found and the phase diagram is determined and analyzed. It is shown that, depending on the model parameters, three antiferromagnetic phases can be identified, which are separated from the paramagnetic phase by the second order phase transitions. The magnetic and entropy properties of all ground states of the model are determined. Three different ground states that arise from the paramagnetic phase in the zero-temperature limit are identified. Due to the frustration, each of these ground states is highly macroscopically degenerated with different values of the residual entropy. In addition, since the paramagnetic phase in the vicinity of these ground states also exhibits high degeneracy with the presence of strong correlations, related to the proximity of the second-order phase transitions, these ground states together with their immediate paramagnetic surroundings can be considered as regions with the classical spin-liquid behavior. It is also shown that the typical anomalous (Schottky-type) behavior of the specific heat with the existence of a two-peak (in general multi-peak) structure in its temperature dependence in the vicinity of the highly macroscopically degenerated ground states can be suppressed by the presence of the second-order phase transitions.

Engineering Layertronics in Two-Dimensional Ferromagnetic Multiferroic Lattice.

Layertronics, rooted in the layer Hall effect (LHE), is an emerging fundamental phenomenon in condensed matter physics and spintronics. So far, several theoretical and experimental proposals have been made to realize LHE, but all are based on antiferromagnetic systems. Here, using symmetry and tight-binding model analysis, we propose a general mechanism for engineering layertronics in a two-dimensional ferromagnetic multiferroic lattice. The physics is related to the band geometric properties and multiferroicity, which results in the coupling between Berry curvature and layer degree of freedom, thereby generating the LHE. Using first-principles calculations, we further demonstrate this mechanism in bilayer (BL) TcIrGe2S6. Due to the intrinsic inversion and time-reversal symmetry breakings, BL TcIrGe2S6 exhibits multiferroicity with large Berry curvatures at both the center and corners of the Brillouin zone. These Berry curvatures couple with the layer physics, forming the LHE in BL TcIrGe2S6. Our work opens a new direction for research on layertronics.

Weyl points and anomalous transport effects tuned by the Fe doping in Mn3Ge Weyl semimetal

The discovery of a significantly large anomalous Hall effect in the chiral antiferromagnetic system—Mn3Ge—indicates that the Weyl points are widely separated in phase space and positioned near the Fermi surface. In order to examine the effects of Fe substitution in Mn3Ge on the presence and location of the Weyl points, we synthesized (Mn 1−α Fe α)3 Ge ( α=0−0.30 ) compounds. The AHE was observed in compounds up to α = 0.22, but only within the temperature range where the magnetic structure remains the same as the Mn3Ge. Additionally, positive longitudinal magnetoconductance and planar Hall effect (PHE) were detected within the same temperature and doping range. These findings strongly suggest the existence of Weyl points in (Mn 1−α Fe α)3 Ge ( α=0−0.22 ) compounds. Further, we observed that with an increase in Fe doping fraction, there is a significant reduction in the magnitude of anomalous Hall conductivity, PHE, and positive longitudinal magnetoconductance, indicating that the Weyl points move further away from the Fermi surface. Consequently, it can be concluded that suitable dopants in the parent Weyl semimetals have the potential to tune the properties of Weyl points and the resulting anomalous electrical transport effects.

Emergence of the isotropic Kitaev honeycomb lattice α− RuCl3 and its magnetic properties

We present a comprehensive investigation of the crystal and magnetic structures of the van der Waals antiferromagnet α− RuCl3 using single crystal x-ray and neutron diffraction. The crystal structure at room temperature is a monoclinic ( C2/m ). However, with decreasing temperature, a remarkable first-order structural phase transition is observed, leading to the emergence of a rhombohedral ( R3ˉ ) structure characterized by three-fold rotational symmetry forming an isotropic honeycomb lattice. On further cooling, a zigzag-type antiferromagnetic order develops below TN=6∼6.6 K. The critical exponent of the magnetic order parameter was determined to be β=0.11(1) , which is close to the two-dimensional Ising model. Additionally, the angular dependence of the magnetic critical field of the zigzag antiferromagnetic order for the polarized ferromagnetic phase reveals a six-fold rotational symmetry within the ab− plane. These findingsreflect the symmetry associated with the Ising-like bond-dependent Kitaev spin interactions and underscore the universality of the Kitaev interaction-dominated antiferromagnetic system.

Global biasing using a hardware-based artificial Zeeman term in spinwave Ising machines

A spinwave Ising machine (SWIM) is a recently proposed type of time-multiplexed hardware solver for combinatorial optimization that employs feedback coupling and phase sensitive amplification to map an Ising Hamiltonian into phase-binarized propagating spinwave RF pulses in an Yttrium-Iron-Garnet film. In this work, we increase the mathematical complexity of the SWIM by adding a global Zeeman term to a 4-spin nearest neighbor Hamiltonian using a continuous external electrical signal with the same frequency as the spin pulses and phase locked with one of the two possible states. We are able to induce ferromagnetic ordering in both directions of the spin states despite antiferromagnetic pairwise coupling. Embedding a planar antiferromagnetic spin system in a magnetic field has been proven to increase the complexity of the graph associated with its Hamiltonian, and, thus, this straightforward implementation helps explore higher degrees of complexity in this evolving solver.

Magneto-ionic modulation of the interlayer exchange interaction in synthetic antiferromagnets

The electric-field control of magnetism is a highly promising and potentially effective approach for realizing energy-efficient applications. Recent interest has focused on the magneto-ionic effect in synthetic antiferromagnets, driven by its potential to enable high-density data storage devices with ultra-low power consumption. However, the underlying mechanism responsible for the magneto-ionic effect on the interlayer exchange coupling remains elusive. In our work, we find that the modulation of the interlayer exchange coupling is highly sensitive to the thickness of the ferromagnetic layer. We have identified that the changes in the interlayer exchange coupling induced by the gate voltage can be associated with the magneto-ionic effects on the top ferromagnetic layer of the synthetic antiferromagnet. The direct contact between the high ion mobility oxide and the top ferromagnetic layer plays a crucial role in facilitating these effects, largely modifying the anisotropy of the layers. Our findings highlight the important role of magneto-ionic control over the properties of the top ferromagnetic layer in governing the observed modifications in the interlayer exchange coupling. This study provides crucial insight into the intricate interplay between stack structure and magneto-ionic effect on magnetic properties in synthetic antiferromagnetic thin film systems.