Magnetic Switching Behavior Research Articles

Study of intricate extraordinary Hall effect and magnetization switching behavior in graded GdFeCo ferrimagnet

Abstract This study delves into the unique properties of the GdFeCo Hall bar with a vertical composition gradient. Our exploration includes a detailed analysis of the temperature-dependent extraordinary Hall effect (EHE) response and magnetization-switching behavior. The findings reveal a FeCo-rich state at room temperature, characterized by an asymmetric drop at 20 Oe and a magnetic compensation temperature (Tcomp) around 150 K. The presence of triple hysteresis loops at 280 K and 270 K, along with unexpected changes in the EHE resistance difference (ΔRXY) at temperatures distant from Tcomp, hint at complex compositional effects similar to the artificial skyrmion-like Hall effect. The temperature points for zero ΔRXY values at ±30 kOe and ±4 kOe show a difference of 18 K, suggesting a spin-flop effect at compensation. Detailed analysis near Tcomp uncovers multiple loops, indicating coexisting Gd and FeCo sublattices with varied compositions. The magnetization switching experiments demonstrate field-driven switching and a limited role of electrical current in the system. These unique findings enhance our understanding of compositionally controlled ferrimagnets for spintronic applications.

Impact of orbital hybridization on spin-polarized electronic transport through Ni-MAPbI3 interfaces

The solution-processed methylammonium lead tri-iodine (MAPbI3), with long spin lifetimes and large spin diffusion lengths, has merit for developing stable perovskite spin valves (PeSV) with low saturation fields. By far, it remains challenging to avoid ill-defined ferromagnet-MAPbI3 interfaces during device fabrications using solution methods and to quantify the hybridized interfacial electronic and magnetic structures. Herein, an annealing-free method was developed for the fabrication of MAPbI3 based PeSV. In comparison to a thermally annealed device, an improved room temperature magnetoresistance (MR) was achieved. We found remarkable interfacial contributions to anisotropic magnetoresistance and MR. The first-principles calculation was further adopted to quantify the interfacial spin and orbital moments. Our results suggest that the orbital hybridization and the spin transfer are remarkable for the formation of the spin-dependent interfacial density of states. It consequently affects magnetic switching behaviors. This study holds an exceptionally important role for a deep understanding of the spin-polarized electronic transport through the Ni-MAPbI3 hybridized interface.

Tunable magnetic switching behavior in La0.7Sr0.3MnO3/PbTiO3 multilayers

Tuning magnetic switching behavior and related magnetic configuration of transition metal oxides (TMOs) is critical for realizing multifunctional materials and devices. In this study, we manipulated the magnetic switching behavior through interface engineering by introducing ferroelectric PbTiO3 (PTO) to form La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO)/PTO multilayers. Both the normal hysteresis loop (NHL) and the inverted hysteresis loop (IHL) could be tuned by changing the PTO thickness. All multilayers displayed a transition from NHL to IHL with increasing temperature, and the transition temperature increased with the insertion of the PTO layer or increasing thickness of the PTO. In addition, it was found that the increase in the Curie temperature (Tc) and saturation magnetization (Ms), as well as the decrease in the coercive field (Hc) and exchange bias field (Heb) with a reduction in the thickness of the PTO, is possibly related to the interface phase. This study illustrates the influence of the ferroelectric PTO thickness on the magnetic switching behavior and related magnetic configuration in LSMO, which is possibly driven by the unscreened depolarization charge and oxygen octahedral tilting. This finding may benefit the application of TMOs in multifunctional memory devices.

Harnessing ion beam erosion engineering for controlled self-assembly and tunable magnetic anisotropy in epitaxial films

The engineering of the surface morphology and the structure of the thin film is one of the essential technological assets for regulating the physical properties and functionalities of thin film-based devices. This study presents an easy and handy approach to tailor the surface structure of epitaxial thin films utilizing low-energy ion beam. Here, we investigate the evolution of the surface structure and magnetic anisotropy (MA) in epitaxial Fe/MgO (001) model systems subjected to multiple cycles of ion beam erosion (IBE) after thin film growth. The growth of Fe film occurs in the form of three–dimensional islands and exhibits intrinsic biaxial MA. Following a few cycles of IBE, an induced uniaxial magnetic anisotropy leads to a split in the hysteresis loop, and the film displays almost uniaxial magnetic switching behavior. More distinctly, we present a clear and conclusive evidence of (2 × 2) reconstruction of the Fe surface due to the atomic rearrangement by IBE. Furthermore, 57Fe isotope sensitive nuclear resonance scattering measurement provides insight into the depth-resolved magnetic information due to the modified surface topography. We also demonstrate that thermal annealing can reversibly tune the surface reconstruction and induced UMA. The feasibility of the IBE technique by adequately selecting IBE parameters for surface structure modification has been highlighted apart from conventional tailoring of the morphology for the tuning of UMA and introduces a new dimension to our understanding of self-assembled surface morphology evolution by IBE.

Unraveling the Correlation between the Interface Structures and Tunable Magnetic Properties of La1-xSrxCoO3-δ/La1-xSrxMnO3-δ Bilayers Using Deep Learning Models.

Perovskite oxides are gaining significant attention for use in next-generation magnetic and ferroelectric devices due to their exceptional charge transport properties and the opportunity to tune the charge, spin, lattice, and orbital degrees of freedom. Interfaces between perovskite oxides, exemplified by La1-xSrxCoO3-δ/La1-xSrxMnO3-δ (LSCO/LSMO) bilayers, exhibit unconventional magnetic exchange switching behavior, offering a pathway for innovative designs in perovskite oxide-based devices. However, the precise atomic-level stoichiometric compositions and chemophysical properties of these interfaces remain elusive, hindering the establishment of surrogate design principles. We leverage first-principles simulations, evolutionary algorithms, and neural network searches with on-the-fly uncertainty quantification to design deep learning model ensembles to investigate over 50,000 LSCO/LSMO bilayer structures as a function of oxygen deficiency (δ) and strontium concentration (x). Structural analysis of the low-energy interface structures reveals that preferential segregation of oxygen vacancies toward the interfacial La0.7Sr0.3CoO3-δ layers causes distortion of the CoOx polyhedra and the emergence of magnetically active Co2+ ions. At the same time, an increase in the Sr concentration and a decrease in oxygen vacancies in the La0.7Sr0.3MnO3-δ layers tend to retain MnO6 octahedra and promote the formation of Mn4+ ions. Electronic structure analysis reveals that the nonuniform distributions of Sr ions and oxygen vacancies on both sides of the interface can alter the local magnetization at the interface, showing a transition from ferromagnetic (FM) to local antiferromagnetic (AFM) or ferrimagnetic regions. Therefore, the exotic properties of La1-xSrxCoO3-δ/La1-xSrxMnO3-δ are strongly coupled to the presence of hard/soft magnetic layers, as well as the FM to AFM transition at the interface, and can be tuned by changing the Sr concentration and oxygen partial pressure during growth. These insights provide valuable guidance for the precise design of perovskite oxide multilayers, enabling tailoring of their functional properties to meet specific requirements for various device applications.

Field‐Free Memristive Spin–Orbit Torque Switching in A1 CoPt Single Layer for Image Edge Detection

AbstractWhile spin–orbit torque (SOT) devices are extensively investigated due to their potential for use in neural network computation, it remains challenging to explore the hardware for neural networks. In this paper, the field‐free memristive SOT switching of the CoPt single layer is used to propose a neuromorphic hardware circuit for detecting edges in images. Owing to its threefold symmetry of inversion, the polarity of SOT switching can be reversed by rotating the current by 60°. Moreover, the process of current‐induced SOT switching exhibits stable multi‐state magnetic switching behavior, and can be controllably tuned by using the pulse of the current. As the slope of the applied ramp pulse current increased, the wave of the anomalous Hall resistance changed from a curve with normally memristive property to trigonometric, and finally to cosine. The design of the hardware circuit for a single SOT device is subsequently formulated to detect the edges in images. The results of experiments verified the capability of this device to detect the edge lines in images with high accuracy, which confirms its potential for use in the hardware of neuromorphic computing platforms. The work here provides guidance for the application of SOT‐based devices to neuromorphic hardware.

Magnetization switching and performance of an optimized bicomponent multiferroic nanomagnet

Achieving complete magnetization switching is a significant challenge in the electrical control of magnetic devices. In this paper, we propose a structure called bicomponent multiferroic nanomagnet (BMN) to study strain-mediated magnetization switching behavior. The BMN consists of a complete piezoelectric layer and a magnetostrictive layer made of bicomponent magnetic materials. Our team successfully developed a dynamic model for the magnetization of BMNs. By micromagnetic simulation, the results show that the strict requirements for a precise applied voltage period can be overcome in such a BMN, and a 180° magnetization switching can be achieved with only a square-wave voltage signal and a pulse width (tth) larger than 0.5 ns, given that the amplitude of the voltage is 60 mV. In addition, we also investigated the tolerance window of material composition and geometry, and proved that BMNs have sufficient error margins and the switching rate of BMNs can reach 1.67 GHz within the error margins at room temperature. Our proposed BMN device has a simple structure and low energy consumption as it does not require precise piezoelectric layer design or stringent voltage clocking requirements. The energy consumption per switching is only 7.3 aJ. These findings provide significant guidance for the design of nanomagnetic logic and memory devices and lay a strong foundation for the application of strain-mediated magnetization switching technology.

Switching of magnetic bilayer nanotube ring with antiferromagnetically coupled layers in an annular field

The magnetization switching behavior of magnetic nanotube rings with core–shell structure is investigated by solving the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert (LLG) equation, focusing on the effects of the magnetic structure, interfacial exchange interactions, anisotropy constants, and transverse field on the coercivity of the system. The reduction of the coercivity of the magnetic nanorings can increase the magnetization switching rate and reduces the energy consumption when the magnetic nanorings are used as magnetic storage units. In the study, it is found that the antiferromagnetic exchange interaction between the spins in the core can greatly reduce the coercivity of the system, and the coercivity decreases with the increase of the interface exchange interaction. When the anisotropy constant of the antiferromagnetic core gradually increases, the coercivity of the system varies nonlinearly and a point of minima occurs. Finally, the effect of the transverse magnetic field on the hysteresis behavior of the system is also discussed, and it is found that the coercivity of the system decreases gradually with the increase of the transverse magnetic field, but the hysteresis loop of the system is distorted when the critical value is exceeded.

Fully micromagnetic analysis of voltage-controlled magnetization switching in magnetic-topological-insulator-based devices

We numerically investigate magnetization switching behavior in voltage-controlled magnetic-topological-insulator-based (VC-MTI) devices by means of the fully micromagnetic simulation. First, the influence of domain in VC-MTI devices was investigated. When the device size is larger than 1 µm, multidomain structure might appear. However, these domains disappear when the gate voltage and source-drain electric field are applied, which is the refresh operation of the actual VC-MTI device. The switching behaviors of a 100-nm-size VC-MTI device in the fully micromagnetic simulation are in agreement with those of the macrospin model although the gate pulse width is slightly different from that of the macrospin model. When the device is less than 1 µm, the macrospin model is adequate for the investigation of switching behavior in VC-MTI devices and the magnetization switching occurs in rotation mode. Therefore, for the VC-MTI device with less-than-100 nm size, the macrospin model is a good approach for the analysis of device operation and write-error rate.

First-principle study of spin transport property in L10-FePd(001)/graphene heterojunction

In our previous work, we synthesized a metal/2D material heterointerface consisting of L10-ordered iron–palladium (FePd) and graphene (Gr) called FePd(001)/Gr. This system has been explored by both experimental measurements and theoretical calculations. In this study, we focus on a heterojunction composed of FePd and multilayer graphene referred to as FePd(001)/m-Gr/FePd(001), where m represents the number of graphene layers. We perform first-principles calculations to predict their spin-dependent transport properties. The quantitative calculations of spin-resolved conductance and magnetoresistance (MR) ratio (150%–200%) suggest that the proposed structure can function as a magnetic tunnel junction in spintronics applications. We also find that an increase in m not only reduces conductance but also changes transport properties from the tunneling behavior to the graphite π-band-like behavior. Additionally, we investigate the spin-transfer torque-induced magnetization switching behavior of our junction structures using micromagnetic simulations. Furthermore, we examine the impact of lateral displacements (sliding) at the interface and find that the spin transport properties remain robust despite these changes; this is the advantage of two-dimensional material hetero-interfaces over traditional insulating barrier layers such as MgO.

Incremental Analysis of Magnetic Domains in Multiple Types of Ferromagnetic CoFe Nanolayer Patterns

In this article, the results of incremental analysis on the thickness, aspect ratio, and crystallographic substrate orientation dependence of magnetic domain formation in CoFe nanolayer patterns (NPs) on GaAs (001) substrates by magnetic force microscopy are reported. All the 35 nm thick CoFe NPs show multiple magnetic domains under as‐deposition condition whereas the 13 nm thick CoFe NPs have a single magnetic domain in the case of the patterns with a relatively small size and high aspect ratio. Subsequently, the magnetic fields are applied in the direction parallel to the <110> and <1–10> directions of the substrates to analyze a magnetization switching behavior in the patterns. The results reveal that the magnetic fields required for magnetization switching markedly tend to increase, with decreasing the thickness of the patterns and increasing their aspect ratio. A general tendency is obtained, which a higher magnetic field is needed for a higher aspect ratio and a thinner thickness of the NPs. Even in the case of the patterns with an aspect ratio of unity and a thickness of 35 nm (but, a smaller size), a single magnetic domain is formed at a relatively high applied magnetic field of 1500 Gauss.

Impact of Chiral Spinterfaces on Magneto-Photoluminescence Effects for Chiral Lead Halide Perovskites.

Chiral lead halide perovskites (LHPs) have been widely investigated in chiroptical spintronics due to their significant Rashba spin-orbit coupling (SOC) and chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS). Ferromagnet/LHP spinterface stems from the orbital hybridization at the interface of the ferromagnet and the nonmagnetic semiconductor, where interfacial density of state is spin-dependent. By far, the impact of the ferromagnet/chiral LHP spinterface on magneto-photoluminescence (Magneto-PL) of chiral LHPs remains unknown. In this work, we find that the negative and tunable Magneto-PL effects for the pristine LHP bulk film can be drastically enhanced by incorporating ferromagnetic/chiral LHP interfaces. A large Magneto-PL magnitude can reach approximately -13% for the Ni/(S-MBA)2PbI4 interface at the field strengths of ±900 mT. With the assistance of circularly polarized PL spectra, anisotropic magneto-resistance, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements, we demonstrate that the ferromagnet/chiral LHP interfaces are chirality/spin-dependent and possess ferromagnetic property due to distinct magnetic switching behavior and electronic orbit coupling at interfaces, which boost the Rashba splitting and spin mixing. The comprehensive effects of Rashba-induced exciton states and chiral-induced SOC at chiral spinterfaces with CISS are responsible for the enhanced Magneto-PL of Ni/(R/S-MBA)2PbI4. It is postulated that the chiral spinterfaces play a dominant role for achieving large and tunable magneto-optical effect of chiral LHPs. This work paves the way for chiroptical spintronic applications.

Growth of epitaxial (100)-oriented rare-earth nitrides on (100)LaAlO3

Epitaxial growth of (100)-oriented rare-earth nitrides (RENs) SmN, GdN, and DyN on (100)LaAlO3 (LAO) substrates is demonstrated using molecular beam epitaxy. RHEED and ϕ-scans confirm that the cubic RENs grow 45° rotated with respect to the pseudocubic (100)-surface of LAO, which leads to lattice mismatches between −5.8% and −8.7% for the selected RENs. Those lattice mismatches, despite being significant, are smaller than in previously reported epitaxial (100)RENs, with the exception of growth on (100)YSZ (yttria stabilized zirconia), which however causes the formation of an interface oxide layer. The SmN RHEED pattern shows intense streaks, indicating a high quality, flat surface, and the rocking curves are among the narrowest reported for (100)RENs. In contrast to growth on Si, the epitaxial RENs readily form over a wide range of substrate temperatures, without the need of special substrate treatment or intermediate layers. This robust, high quality growth paired with their clear magnetic switching behavior makes epitaxial RENs grown on LAO ideal candidates for future spintronic devices.

Field-Free Spin-Orbit Torque-Induced Magnetization Switching in the IrMn/CoTb Bilayers with a Spontaneous In-Plane Exchange Bias.

Spin-orbit torque (SOT)-induced magnetization switching in ferrimagnetic materials is promising for application in a new generation of information storage devices. Here, we demonstrate SOT-induced field-free magnetization switching of the perpendicularly magnetized CoTb ferrimagnet layer in the IrMn/CoTb bilayer, in which the in-plane magnetic inversion symmetry is broken by a spontaneous in-plane exchange bias (IEB) established by isothermal crystallization of the IrMn layer. We obtain a significant SOT effective field acting on the CoTb layer and a large effective spin Hall angle in this system, derived by the second harmonic voltage measurement method. Moreover, the IrMn/CoTb bilayer demonstrates multistate magnetic switching behavior with different amplitudes of current pulses at zero field, which can mimic the synaptic weight updates in the neuromorphic network. These findings make the IrMn/CoTb bilayer with spontaneous IEB a promising candidate for potential applications in multilevel storage and neuromorphic computing.

Bipolar magnetic switching and large exchange-bias in Fe-substituted SmCrO3

Rare-earth orthochromite is an interesting system in the view of its complex magnetic ordering due to competing interaction between different magnetic ions. Here, Fe-substituted SmCrO3 samples were prepared by solid-state route to investigate their intriguing magnetic properties towards exploring its application potential. The magnetic studies revealed antiferromagnetic (AFM) ordering at Nèel temperature (T N) ∼ 181 K, magnetic compensation temperatures (T COMP) at ∼137 K and 50 K, and spin-reorientation temperature (T SR) at 64 K in SmCr0.8Fe0.2O3 sample. Additionally, the system exhibited negative magnetization under field-cooled conditions which allowed the field as well as temperature controllable magnetization switching behavior. Notably, the Fe-substituted SmCrO3 sample displayed a remarkable exchange bias (H EB) value of ∼1.39 T at 10 K due to the coexistence of ferromagnetic and AFM ordering at different cationic sites. The M–H loops recorded under positive and negative field-cooled conditions ruled out the minor-loop effect. Theoretical models applied on the training effect studies confirmed the observed exchange-bias effect.

Effects of structure, size and non-magnetic Cu layer thickness on magnetization switching behavior in Ni/Cu/M (M [formula omitted] Ni, Co) cylindrical nanowires

We have investigated the dependence of the magnetization switching behavior on the structure, size and nonmagnetic Cu layer thickness (tCu) in Ni/Cu/M (M = Ni, Co) cylindrical nanowires fabricated by electrodeposition using porous polycarbonate templates. The crystal structure of the Ni nanowires was (111)- or (200)-oriented polycrystalline fcc, while that of Co nanowires was (100)- or (101)-oriented hcp and/or (111)-oriented polycrystalline fcc. When the wire diameter (d) was 50 nm, the squareness ratio (Mr/Ms) for M = Ni, as estimated from the magnetization curve, is almost constant at Mr/Ms∼0.79 (Mr/Ms∼0.64 for M = Co) when tCu increases from 0 to 500 nm. When d=100nm, Mr/Ms decreases by 41% from 0.71 to 0.42 with increasing tCu from 0 to 700 nm for M = Ni, while Mr/Ms decreases by 25% from 0.53 to 0.40 with varying tCu from 0 to 500 nm for M = Co. The threshold Cu layer thickness (tCuth) beyond which Mr/Ms becomes constant at d=100nm is ∼500 nm for M = Ni and ∼300 nm for M = Co. The results are qualitatively consistent with those obtained from our micromagnetic simulation and analysis. The observed difference in the tCuth dependence of Mr/Ms between M = Ni and Co is attributed to the change in the magnetic domain structure of the nanowires as it sensitively varies with the magnetocrystalline anisotropy. On the other hand, the coercive force of the nanowires shows a small tCu dependence for both d=50 and 100 nm. These results indicate that the layered structure in the nanowires governs the magnetic domain structure, though the effect on the magnetization switching behavior is indeed relatively small.

Electric Field Control of Spin-Orbit Torque Magnetization Switching in a Spin-Orbit Ferromagnet Single Layer.

To achieve a desirable magnitude of spin-orbit torque (SOT) for magnetization switching and realize multifunctional spin logic and memory devices utilizing SOT, controlling the SOT manipulation is vitally important. In conventional SOT bilayer systems, researchers have tried to control the magnetization switching behavior via interfacial oxidization, modulation of spin-orbit effective field, and effective spin Hall angle; however, the switching efficiency is limited by the interface quality. A current-induced effective magnetic field in a single layer of a ferromagnet with strong spin-orbit interactions, the so-called spin-orbit ferromagnet, can be utilized to induce SOT. In spin-orbit ferromagnet systems, electric field application has the potential for manipulating the spin-orbit interactions via carrier concentration modulation. In this work, it is demonstrated that SOT magnetization switching can be successfully controlled via an external electric field using a (Ga, Mn)As single layer. By applying a gate voltage, the switching current density can be solidly and reversibly manipulated with a large ratio of 14.5%, which is ascribed to the successful modulation of the interfacial electric field. The findings of this work help further the understanding of the magnetization switching mechanism and advance the development of gate-controlled SOT devices.

Field-Free Magnetization Switching in A1 CoPt Single-Layer Nanostructures for Neuromorphic Computing

Current-induced field-free magnetization switching in single-layer films has been widely investigated for the application of spin–orbit torque (SOT) drivers in low-power, high-density, and nano-sized memory. In this paper, we report field-free SOT switching with threefold angle dependence in A1 disordered single-layer CoPt using the MgO (111) substrate. It is found that the magnetization could not switch in the absence of an external in-plane magnetic field when the current was flowing in the direction of the mirror symmetry high-symmetry axis ([11–2]). While along the direction of the low-symmetry axis ([1–10]) which destroyed the mirror symmetry to the greatest extent, field-free switching could be performed, and the switching ratio was up to 30%. This was mainly attributed to the composition gradient-induced in-plane inversion asymmetry and the low symmetry at the interface of Co/Pt broken out-of-plane inversion. Furthermore, CoPt devices with nanoscale thickness exhibited stable multistate magnetic switching behavior without an external magnetic field, and simultaneously nonlinear synaptic characteristics were obtained. A neural network was established, in which the synaptic weights between the hidden layer and the output layer are updated by using the resistance state of SOT synaptic devices, and the network could achieve about 90.54% recognition accuracy when applied to MNIST’s handwritten digital dataset. This work confirmed that a field-free SOT switch could be realized in single-layer CoPt, which provided theoretical guidance and data support for spin devices.

Nanoscale Magnetic Domains in Polycrystalline Mn3Sn Films Imaged by a Scanning Single-Spin Magnetometer.

Noncollinear antiferromagnets with novel magnetic orders, vanishingly small net magnetization, and exotic spin related properties hold enormous promise for developing next-generation, transformative spintronic applications. A major ongoing research focus of this community is to explore, control, and harness unconventional magnetic phases of this emergent material system to deliver state-of-the-art functionalities for modern microelectronics. Here we report direct imaging of magnetic domains of polycrystalline Mn3Sn films, a prototypical noncollinear antiferromagnet, using nitrogen-vacancy-based single-spin scanning microscopy. Nanoscale evolution of local stray field patterns of Mn3Sn samples are systematically investigated in response to external driving forces, revealing the characteristic "heterogeneous" magnetic switching behaviors in polycrystalline textured Mn3Sn films. Our results contribute to a comprehensive understanding of inhomogeneous magnetic orders of noncollinear antiferromagnets, highlighting the potential of nitrogen-vacancy centers to study microscopic spin properties of a broad range of emergent condensed matter systems.

Strain-Mediated Magnetization Switching Behavior in a Bicomponent Nanomagnet

The strain-mediated method is considered to be a promising solution for implementing energy-efficient magnetization rotation. However, current methods strictly require a voltage clock. Here, a multiferroic nanomagnet composed of bicomponent magnetic materials (Terfenol-D:$\mathrm{Ni}$ = 1:2) is developed to study strain-mediated magnetization switching behavior. With micromagnetic simulations, what is demonstrated is that the strict requirements for a precise applied voltage period can be overcome in such a bicomponent nanomagnet, where the threshold of the square-wave voltage pulse width required for complete and repeated magnetization reversal is only 0.42 ns if the amplitude of the voltage is 1 V. Besides deterministic magnetization switching, further study shows that the unique strain-mediated stochastic magnetization reversal behavior of the designed device can be used to mimic the biological neuron. With the application of the derived neural device parameters, a three-layer artificial neural network is further constructed to recognize a handwritten dataset, based on which, an accuracy of more than 98% can be achieved. Overall, these results open an intriguing way toward straintronic memory and neuromorphic systems.