Ferromagnetic Proximity Effect Research Articles

Colossal Magnetoresistive Switching Induced by d0 Ferromagnetism of MgO in a Semiconductor Nanochannel Device with Ferromagnetic Fe/MgO Electrodes.

Exploring potential spintronic functionalities in resistive switching (RS) devices is of great interest for creating new applications, such as multifunctional resistive random-access memory and novel neuromorphic computing devices. In particular, the importance of the spin-triplet state of cation vacancies in oxide materials, which is induced by localized and strong O-2p on-site Coulomb interactions, in RS devices has been overlooked. d0 ferromagnetism sometimes appears due to the spin-triplet state and ferromagnetic Zener's double exchange interactions between cation vacancies, which are occasionally strong enough to make nonmagnetic oxides ferromagnetic. Here, for the first time, anomalous and colossal magneto-RS (CMRS) with very high magnetic field dependence is demonstrated by utilizing an unconventional RS device composed of a Ge nanochannel with all-epitaxial single-crystalline Fe/MgO electrodes. The device shows colossal and unusual behavior as the threshold voltage and ON/OFF ratio strongly depend on a magnetic field, which is controllable with an applied voltage. This new phenomenon is attributed to the formation of d0 -ferromagnetic filaments by attractive Mg vacancies due to the spin-triplet states with ferromagnetic double exchange interactions and the ferromagnetic proximity effect of Fe on MgO. The findings will allow the development of energy-efficient CMRS devices with multifield susceptibility.

Direct Probe of the Ferromagnetic Proximity Effect at the Interface of SnTe/Fe Heterostructure by Polarized Neutron Reflectometry.

Introducing magnetic order into a topological insulator (TI) system has attracted much attention with an expectation of realizing exotic phenomena such as the quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE) and axion insulator states. The magnetic proximity effect (MPE) is one of the promising schemes to induce the magnetic order on the surface of a TI without introducing disorder accompanied by doping magnetic impurities in the TI. In this study, we investigate the MPE at the interface of a heterostructure consisting of the topological crystalline insulator (TCI) SnTe and Fe by employing polarized neutron reflectometry. The ferromagnetic order penetrates ∼2.2 nm deep into the SnTe layer from the interface with Fe, which persists up to room temperature. This is induced by the MPE on the surface of the TCI preserving the coherent topological states without introducing the disorder by doping magnetic impurities. This would open up a way for realizing next-generation spintronics and quantum computational devices.

Acoustic higher-order topology derived from first-order with built-in Zeeman-like fields

Higher-order topological insulators (HOTIs), with topological corner or hinge states, have emerged as a thriving topic in the field of topological physics. However, few connections have been found for HOTIs with well-explored first-order topological insulators. Recently a proposal asserted that a significant bridge can be established between the HOTIs and Z2 topological insulators. When subjected to an in-plane Zeeman field, corner states, the signature of the HOTIs, can be induced in a Z2 topological insulator. Such Zeeman fields can be produced, for example, by the ferromagnetic proximity effect or magnetic atom doping, which drastically increases the experimental complexity. Here, we show that a phononic crystal, designed as a bilayer of coupled acoustic cavities, exactly hosts the Kane-Mele model with built-in in-plane Zeeman fields. The helical edge states along the zigzag edges are gapped, and the corner states, localized spatially at the corners of the samples, appear in the gap. This verifies the Zeeman field induced higher-order topology. We further demonstrate the intriguing contrast properties of the corner states at the outer and inner corners in a hexagonal ring-shaped sample.

Isotropic FMR frequency enhancement in thin Py/FeMn bilayers under strong magnetic proximity effect

Exchange biasing in ferromagnet/antiferromagnet bilayers is known to enhance the material’s ferromagnetic resonance frequency and make it strongly angle dependent due to the unidirectional anisotropy induced at the interface. We observe a ten-fold enhancement in frequency and angle-independent ferromagnetic resonance in bilayers of Py/FeMn with ultrathin FeMn, accompanied by a significantly enhanced magnetic moment. The observed isotropic frequency enhancement is consistent with rotatable rather than unidirectional magnetic anisotropy and the induced magnetic moment links this anisotropy with the ferromagnet-proximity effect. The estimated effective anisotropy field acting on the proximity-induced moment in ultrathin FeMn can be as high as 0.5 T at room temperature. Our results show the potential of the ferromagnetic proximity effect combined with the inherent exchange anisotropy in antiferromagnets for high-speed spintronic applications.

Topological superconductivity in tripartite superconductor-ferromagnet-semiconductor nanowires

Motivated by recent experiments searching for Majorana zero modes in tripartite semiconductor nanowires with epitaxial superconductor and ferromagnetic-insulator layers, we explore the emergence of topological superconductivity in such devices for paradigmatic arrangements of the three constituents. Accounting for the competition between magnetism and superconductivity, we treat superconductivity self consistently and describe the electronic properties, including the superconducting and ferromagnetic proximity effects, within a direct wave-function approach. We conclude that the most viable mechanism for topological superconductivity relies on a superconductor-semiconductor-ferromagnet arrangement of the constituents, in which spin splitting and superconductivity are independently induced in the semiconductor by proximity and superconductivity is only weakly affected by the ferromagnetic insulator.

Coexistence of Short- and Long-Range Ferromagnetic Proximity Effects in a Fe/(Cd,Mg)Te/CdTe Quantum Well Hybrid Structure.

In a Fe/(Cd,Mg)Te/CdTe quantum well hybrid structure, short-range and long-range ferromagnetic proximity effects are found to coexist. The former is observed for conduction band electrons, while the latter is observed for holes bound to shallow acceptors in the CdTe quantum well. These effects arise from the interaction of charge carriers confined in the quantum well with different ferromagnets, where electrons interact with the Fe film and holes with an interfacial ferromagnet at the Fe/(Cd,Mg)Te interface. The two proximity effects originate from fundamentally different physical mechanisms. The short-range proximity effect for electrons is determined by the overlap of their wave functions with d-electrons of the Fe film. On the contrary, the long-range effect for holes bound to acceptors is not associated with overlapping wave functions and can be mediated by elliptically polarized phonons. The coexistence of the two ferromagnetic proximity effects reveals the presence of a nontrivial spin texture within the same heterostructure.

Study of magnetic and transport properties of Bi2Se3/FeSe2 bilayer thin films

Thin films of topological insulator (TI) Bi2Se3 were grown onto the surfaces of FeSe2 layers of different thicknesses on Si (100) substrates by magnetron sputtering, forming bilayer films with smooth surface. Magnetic and transport measurements indicate ferromagnetism in these bilayer samples. Large coercive fields at low-temperatures and a room-temperature magnetic order were observed. Moreover, nonsaturated high-filed linear magnetoresistance (MR) and weak anti-localization effect were found in these bilayer thin films. These results indicate that the bilayer samples could have both strong spin–orbit coupling and ferromagnetic proximity effect, which are the desired features.

The inverse proximity effect in strong ferromagnet–superconductor structures

The magnetization in a superconductor induced due to the inverse proximity effect is investigated in hybrid bilayers containing a superconductor and a ferromagnetic insulator or a strongly spin-polarized ferromagnetic metal. The study is performed within a quasiclassical Green function framework, wherein Usadel equations are solved with boundary conditions appropriate for strongly spin-polarized ferromagnetic materials. A comparison with recent experimental data is presented. The singlet to triplet conversion of the superconducting correlations as a result of the proximity effect with a ferromagnet is studied.

Ferromagnetic proximity effect on the thermodynamic properties of topological crystalline insulator SnTe (001) and related thin films

We provide physical insights into the performance of ferromagnetic proximity effects in both electronic [electronic density of states (DOS)] and thermodynamic features [electronic heat capacity (EHC) and the Pauli spin paramagnetic susceptibility (PSPS)] of topological crystalline insulator SnTe (001) and related thin films. We implement the low-energy Hamiltonian, the Green’s function method and the Boltzmann approach. First, we find a gapless phase for SnTe (001) and a gapped one [due to the hybridization between the front and back surfaces] for SnTe (001) thin film. Second, we observe that EHC (PSPS) of gapless SnTe (001) is smaller (greater) than the gapped SnTe (001) thin film. Third, our results show that an exchange field-dependent gap opens in gapless SnTe (001), leading to the increase (decrease) of EHC (PSPS). Fourth, we explain that for exchange fields smaller/greater than the hybridization potential, the inherent gap decreases in SnTe (001) thin film, while it closes if the exchange field becomes equal to the hybridization potential, resulting in the increase (decrease) of EHC (PSPS).

Spin transport in proximity-induced ferromagnetic phosphorene nanoribbons

Abstract We investigate the spin-dependent transport properties in normal/ferromagnetic/normal phosphorene nanoribbon (PNR) junctions where an external gate electrode is attached to the ferromagnetic region. The exchange splitting in ferromagnetic phosphorene is induced by ferromagnetic proximity effect. We found that the current through this junction is spin polarized due to the exchange field induced in phosphorene. The spin polarization oscillates with the external gate voltage, and the spin polarization can be reversed from 100% to −100% by a slight change of the gate voltage. The controllable spin transport in phosphorene nanoribbons can have useful applications in the development of spintronic devices.

Interface-induced anomalous Nernst effect in Fe3O4/Pt-based heterostructures

We have studied the anomalous Nernst effect (ANE) in [Fe3O4/Pt]-based heterostructures grown at high temperature, by measuring the ANE-induced electric field with a magnetic field applied normal to the sample surface, in the perpendicular magnetized configuration, where only the ANEs from the ferromagnetic layers or magnetic proximity effects can be detected. An ANE voltage is observed for [Fe3O4/Pt]n multilayers, and we further investigated its origin by performing measurements in [Fe3O4/Pt/Fe3O4] trilayers as a function of the Pt thickness. Our results suggest the presence of an interface-induced ANE in the metallic layer, possibly driven by a heat induced subnanometer interdiffusion which affects the nature of the Fe3O4/Pt interface. Despite this ANE, the spin Seebeck effect is the dominant mechanism for the transverse thermoelectric voltage in the in-plane magnetized configuration, accounting for about 70% of the voltage in the multilayers.

Electric field effect on magnetism in a MgO/Pd/Co system with a solid-state capacitor structure

The electric field effect on the magnetism in a MgO/Pd/Co system, in which a magnetic moment is induced in the Pd layer owing to the ferromagnetic proximity effect, has been investigated using various experimental methods. An electric field was applied to the surface of the Pd layer through a solid-state HfO2/MgO dielectric bilayer by applying a gate voltage with a back-gating configuration. Changes in the magnetic properties of the system as a result of gate voltage application were detected using magnetization and polar-Kerr effect measurements as well as X-ray absorption and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) spectroscopies. A systematic change in the magnetic moment of the system by the application of a gate voltage is observed. The magnetic hysteresis loops obtained by the polar-Kerr effect measurement and the element-specific XMCD signal at the Co L3-edge clearly show a reproducible change in the coercivity that is dependent on the gate voltage.

Proximity-induced mixed odd- and even-frequency pairing in monolayer NbSe2

Monolayer superconducting transition metal dichalcogenide NbSe$_2$ is a candidate for a nodal topological superconductor by magnetic field. Because of the so-called Ising spin-orbit coupling that strongly pins the electron spins to the out-of-plane direction, Cooper pairs in monolayer superconductor NbSe$_2$ are protected against an applied in-plane magnetic field much larger than the Pauli limit. In monolayer NbSe$_2$, in addition to the Fermi pockets at the corners of Brillouin zone with opposite crystal momentum similar to other semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides, there is an extra Fermi pocket around the $\Gamma$ point with much smaller spin splitting, which could lead to an alternative strategy for pairing possibilities that are manipulable by a smaller magnetic field. By considering a monolayer NbSe$_2$-ferromagnet substrate junction, we explore the modified pairing correlations on the pocket at $\Gamma$ point in hole-doped monolayer NbSe$_2$. The underlying physics is fascinating as there is a delicate interplay of the induced exchange field and the Ising spin-orbit coupling. We realize a mixed singlet-triplet superconductivity, s+f, due to the Ising spin-orbit coupling. Moreover, our results reveal the admixture state including both odd- and even-frequency components, associated with the ferromagnetic proximity effect. Different frequency symmetries of the induced pairing correlations can be realized by manipulating the magnitude and direction of the induced magnetization.

Microscopic Investigation into the Electric Field Effect on Proximity-Induced Magnetism in Pt.

Electric field effects on magnetism in metals have attracted widespread attention, but the microscopic mechanism is still controversial. We experimentally show the relevancy between the electric field effect on magnetism and on the electronic structure in Pt in a ferromagnetic state using element-specific measurements: x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) and x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Electric fields are applied to the surface of ultrathin metallic Pt, in which a magnetic moment is induced by the ferromagnetic proximity effect resulting from a Co underlayer. XMCD and XAS measurements performed under the application of electric fields reveal that both the spin and orbital magnetic moments of Pt atoms are electrically modulated, which can be explained not only by the electric-field-induced shift of the Fermi level but also by the change in the orbital hybridizations.

Valley-locked thermospin effect in silicene and germanene with asymmetric magnetic field induced by ferromagnetic proximity effect

Silicene and germanene, as graphenelike materials with observable spin-orbit couplings and two distinctive valleys, have potential applications in future low-dissipation spintronics and valleytronics. We here propose a magnetic system of silicene or germanene intercalated between two ferromagetic (FM) dielectric layers, and find that the system with a proximity-induced asymmetric magnetic field supports an attractive phenomenon named the valley-locked spin-dependent Seebeck effect (VL-SSE) driven by a thermal gradient. The VL-SSE indicates that the carries from only one valley could be thermally excited, with opposite spin polarization counterpropagating along the thermal gradient direction, while nearly no carrier from the other insulating valley is excited due to the relatively wide band gap. It is also illustrated that the VL-SSE here does not survive in the usual FM or anti-FM systems, and can be destroyed by the overlarge temperature broadening. Moreover, we prove that the signal for VL-SSE can be weakened gradually with the enhancement of the local interlayer electric field, and be strengthened lineally by increasing the source-drain temperature difference in a caloritronic field effect transistor. Further calculations indicate that the VL-SSE is robust against many perturbations, including the global and local Fermi levels as well as the magnetic strength. These findings about the valley-locked thermospin effect provide a nontrivial and convenient dimension to control the quantum numbers of spin and valley and are expected to be applied in future spin-valley logic circuits and energy-saving devices.

Magnetization switching by spin-orbit torque in Pt with proximity-induced magnetic moment

The switching of the magnetization direction induced by the spin-orbit torque in a perpendicularly magnetized Pt/Co/Pd structure has been investigated using X-ray magnetic circular dichroism. An electrical current injected parallel to the layers generates a spin current in a direction that is normal to the current in the Pt layer, and this spin current is generally considered to exert a torque on the adjacent ferromagnetic Co layer. A part of the Pt layer itself, however, is also in a ferromagnetic state, owing to the ferromagnetic proximity effect. Using the anomalous Hall effect, the magnetization reversal of the system is observed by injecting a sufficiently large electrical current into the sample, under a constant external magnetic field that is applied parallel to the injected current. In addition, by conducting element-specific XMCD magnetization measurement, the switching of not the Co but the Pt magnetization is clearly detected.

Dielectric and magnetic characterizations of capacitor structures with an ionic liquid/MgO barrier and a ferromagnetic Pt electrode

The dielectric and magnetic properties of electric double layer (EDL) capacitor structures with a perpendicularly magnetized Pt/Co/Pt electrode and an insulating cap layer (MgO) are investigated. An electric field is applied through a mixed ionic liquid/MgO barrier to the surface of the top Pt layer, at which the magnetic moment is induced by the ferromagnetic proximity effect. The basic dielectric properties of the EDL capacitor are studied by varying the thickness of the MgO cap layer. The results indicate that the capacitance, i.e., the accumulated charge density at the Pt surface, is reduced with increasing the MgO thickness. From the MgO thickness dependence of the capacitance value, the effective dielectric constant of the ionic liquid is evaluated. Almost no electric field effect on the magnetic moment, the coercivity, or the Curie temperature is confirmed in the top Pt layer with the thickness of 1.3 nm, regardless of the presence or absence of the MgO cap layer, whereas the a clear change in the magnetic moment is observed when the top Pt layer is replaced by a Pd layer of 1.7 nm.

The Solitary Superconductivity in Dirty F $$ _1 $$ 1 F $$ _2 $$ 2 S Trilayer with Arbitrary Interfaces

We theoretically study the proximity effect in ferromagnet–superconductor trilayer in the F\(_1\)F\(_2\)S design. Electron–electron pairing interaction in F layers is taken into account. The boundary value problem is considered in the frame of Usadel equations. The conditions of the solitary superconductivity appearance in F\(_1\)F\(_2\)S system are theoretically investigated taking into account of arbitrary transparencies of interfaces. The experimental observation of this effect and its spin-valve application are discussed.

Electric field effect on magnetism in metallic ultra-thin films

Recent experimental developments on the electric field effect on magnetism in metallic magnetic materials are reviewed. The change in the electron density at the surface of metallic ultra-thin magnets by the application of an electric field results in modulations of the Curie temperature, magnetic moment, magnetic anisotropy, and domain wall velocity. The study focused on this paper is the electric field effect on the Curie temperature (magnetic phase transition) in Pt/Co ultra-thin film systems. Electric field modifications of the magnetic moment induced by ferromagnetic proximity effects in Pd, which is usually a nonmagnetic element, are also discussed.

Electric-field control of magnetic moment in Pd.

Several magnetic properties have recently become tunable with an applied electric field. Particularly, electrically controlled magnetic phase transitions and/or magnetic moments have attracted attention because they are the most fundamental parameters in ferromagnetic materials. In this study, we showed that an electric field can be used to control the magnetic moment in films made of Pd, usually a non-magnetic element. Pd ultra-thin films were deposited on ferromagnetic Pt/Co layers. In the Pd layer, a ferromagnetically ordered magnetic moment was induced by the ferromagnetic proximity effect. By applying an electric field to the ferromagnetic surface of this Pd layer, a clear change was observed in the magnetic moment, which was measured directly using a superconducting quantum interference device magnetometer. The results indicate that magnetic moments extrinsically induced in non-magnetic elements by the proximity effect, as well as an intrinsically induced magnetic moments in ferromagnetic elements, as reported previously, are electrically tunable. The results of this study suggest a new avenue for answering the fundamental question of “can an electric field make naturally non-magnetic materials ferromagnetic?”