Neel Vector Research Articles

Valley contrasting bulk photovoltaic effect in a PT -symmetric MnPSe3 monolayer

Valleytronics that uses the inequivalent electronic states at the band extrema in semiconductors have been considered to play a vital role in the future information read/write technology. In the current work, we theoretically show that sizable valley contrasting bulk photovoltaic (BPV) effect could emerge, even when the total photocurrent is symmetrically forbidden. We illustrate our theory by using a prototypical two-dimensional antiferromagnetic semiconductor, MnPSe3 monolayer, that is PT-symmetric (P and T refer to spatially inversion and time-reversal operators, respectively). We show that the Neel vector well controls the magnetic point group at the $\Gamma$ point, and the BPV current direction. In addition, $\mathbf{k}$-dependent photocurrent generally arises due to the reduction of little group constraints at the valley. This leads to hidden valley-polarized photoconductivity which could reach a magnitude of 1350 $\mu$A/V&^2&, observable experimentally. We further predict that the MnPSe$_3$ monolayer could be two-dimensional ferrotoroidic, again depending on its Neel vector direction, which can be determined via magnetoelectric response measurements. Our work provides an exemplary platform for paving the route to future opto-spintronic and opto-valleytronic devices in a single antiferromagnetic nanomaterial.

Coexistence of Weyl semimetal and Weyl nodal loop semimetal phases in a collinear antiferromagnet

Antiferromagnets (AFMs) with anomalous quantum responses have lead to new progress for the understanding of their magnetic and electronic structures from symmetry and topology points of view. Two typical topological states are the collinear antiferromagnetic Weyl semimetal (WSM) and Weyl nodal loop semimetal (WNLSM). In comparison with the counterparts in ferromagnets and non-collinear AFMs, the WSMs and WNLSMs in collinear AFMs are still waiting for experimental verification. In this work, we theoretically predicted the coexistence of Weyl points (WPs) and Weyl nodal loops (WNLs) in transition metal oxide RuO2. Owing to the small magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy, the WPs and WNLs can transform to each other via tuning the Neel vector. Moreover, since the WPs are very close to Fermi level and the WNLs are even crossing Fermi level, the topological states in RuO2 can be easily probed by photoemission and STM methods. Our result provides a promising material platform for the study of WSM and WNLSM states in collinear AFMs.

Tilted spin current generated by the collinear antiferromagnet ruthenium dioxide

We report measurements demonstrating that when the Neel vector of the collinear antiferromagnet RuO2 is appropriately canted relative to the sample plane, the antiferromagnet generates a substantial out of plane damping-like torque. The measurements are in good accord with predictions that when an electric field, E is applied to the spin split band structure of RuO2 it can cause a strong transverse spin current even in the absence of spin-orbit coupling. This produces characteristic changes in all three components of the E induced torque vector as a function of the angle of E relative to the crystal axes, corresponding to a spin current with a well defined tilted spin orientation s approximately (but not exactly) parallel to the Neel vector, flowing perpendicular to both E and S. This angular dependence is the signature of an antiferromagnetic spin Hall effect with symmetries that are distinct from other mechanisms of spin-current generation reported in antiferromagnetic or ferromagnetic materials.

Observation of Giant Optical Linear Dichroism in a Zigzag Antiferromagnet FePS3.

Direct optical probing of the antiferromagnetic order parameter in atomically thin samples is challenging, for example, via magneto-optical spectroscopy, due to the lack of net magnetization. Here, we report zigzag-antiferromagnetism (AFM) induced optical linear dichroism (LD) in layered transition-metal thiophosphate FePS3 down to the monolayer limit. The observed LD is giant despite having the optical wave vector parallel to the Néel vector. The LD is at least one order of magnitude larger than those reported in other antiferromagnetic systems, where the optical wave vector is orthogonal to the Néel vector. The large LD enables the probe of 60° orientated zigzag-AFM domains. The optical anisotropy in FePS3 originates from an electronic anisotropy associated with the zigzag direction of the AFM order and is independent of the spin-pointing direction. Our findings point to a new optical approach for the investigation and control of zigzag or stripe magnetic order in strongly correlated systems.

Switching with ions.

Solid-state hydrogen gating of a ferrimagnetic metal enables independent reversal of Neel and magnetization vectors by an electric field.

Effective strain manipulation of the antiferromagnetic state of polycrystalline NiO

As a candidate material for applications such as magnetic memory, polycrystalline antiferromagnets offer the same robustness to external magnetic fields, THz spin dynamics, and lack of stray fields as their single crystalline counterparts, but without the limitation of epitaxial growth and lattice matched substrates. Here, we first report the detection of the average Néel vector orientation in polycrystalline NiO via spin Hall magnetoresistance (SMR). Second, by applying strain through a piezo-electric substrate, we reduce the critical magnetic field required to reach a saturation of the SMR signal, indicating a change of the anisotropy. Our results are consistent with polycrystalline NiO exhibiting a positive sign of the in-plane magnetostriction. This method of anisotropy-tuning offers an energy efficient, on-chip alternative to manipulate a polycrystalline antiferromagnet's magnetic state.

Understanding the Switching Mechanisms of the Antiferromagnet/Ferromagnet Heterojunction

Electric-field-driven spintronic devices are considered promising candidates for beyond CMOS logic and memory applications thanks to their potential for ultralow energy switching and nonvolatility. In this work, we have developed a comprehensive modeling framework to understand the fundamental physics of the switching mechanisms of the antiferromagnet/ferromagnet heterojunction by taking BiFeO3/CoFe heterojunctions as an example. The models are calibrated with experimental results and demonstrate that the switching of the ferromagnet in the antiferromagnet/ferromagnet heterojunction is caused by the rotation of the Neel vector in the antiferromagnet and is not driven by the unidirectional exchange bias at the interface as was previously speculated. Additionally, we demonstrate that the fundamental limit of the switching time of the ferromagnet is in the subnanosecond regime. The geometric dependence and the thermal stability of the antiferromagnet/ferromagnet heterojunction are also explored. Our simulation results provide the critical metrics for designing magnetoelectric devices.

Spin-current dissipation in a thin-film bilayer ferromagnet/antiferromagnet

Ferromagnetic resonance in multilayer metal nanostructures containing an antiferromagnetic layer of variable thickness is studied. The contribution to the linewidth of the ferromagnetic resonance that is caused by spin-pumping current dissipation in an exchange-coupled antiferromagnetic/ferromagnetic bilayer is determined. The dissipative processes that occur in the bulk of the antiferromagnet and at the interface between the antiferromagnet (Fe50Mn50) and the ferromagnet (permalloy, Ni81Fe19) are distinguished. The details of how the dissipation transforms when the antiferromagnet Neel vector deviates from the direction of the exchange-pinning field are determined. The proposed method is effective for studying spin scattering in individual layers and at interlayer interfaces in complex magnetic systems.

Simulation of the Magnetization Dynamics of a Single-Domain BiFeO₃ Nanoisland

The switching dynamics of a single-domain BiFeO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> nanoscale nanoisland is investigated by studying the dynamics of polarization and Neel vector. We use the Landau-Khalatnikov (LK) equation to describe the evolution of the ferroelectric polarization, and we implement the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert (LLG) equations to model the dynamics of spins in two sublattices and the time evolution of the antiferromagnetic order (Neel vector) in a G-type antiferromagnet. Our model can calculate the weak magnetization more accurately compared to previous works on the antiferromagnet using the Neel vector as the order parameter and weak magnetization are often neglected. This work also theoretically demonstrates that the rotation of the magnetic hard-axis, which follows the polarization reversal, can reverse the Neel vector while the weak magnetization remains unchanged. The simulation results are consistent with the ab initio calculations, where the Neel vector rotates during polarization rotation, and also match our calculation of the dynamics of the order parameter using Landau-Ginzburg theory. We also find that the switching time of the Neel vector is a strong function of the polarization switching time and can be as short as 30ps if the polarization can switch faster. However, the Neel vector does not reverse if the polarization switches in less than 30ps.

Spin flop and crystalline anisotropic magnetoresistance in CuMnAs

Recent research works have shown that the magnetic order in some antiferromagnetic materials can be manipulated and detected electrically, due to two physical mechanisms: Neel-order spin-orbit torques and anisotropic magnetoresistance. While these observations open up opportunities to use antiferromagnets for magnetic memory devices, different physical characterization methods are required for a better understanding of those mechanisms. Here we report a magnetic field induced rotation of the antiferromagnetic Neel vector in epitaxial tetragonal CuMnAs thin films. Using soft x-ray magnetic linear dichroism spectroscopy, x-ray photoemission electron microscopy, integral magnetometry and magneto-transport methods, we demonstrate spin-flop switching and continuous spin reorientation in antiferromagnetic films with uniaxial and biaxial magnetic anisotropies, respectively. From field-dependent measurements of the magnetization and magnetoresistance, we obtain key material parameters including the anisotropic magnetoresistance coefficients, magnetocrystalline anisotropy, spin-flop and exchange fields.

THz generation and frequency manipulation in AFM/HM interfaces

In this paper, we propose an approximate nonlinear theory of a spintronic terahertz-frequency oscillator based on antiferromagnet-heavy metal interfaces. We present a model of excitation of nonlinear oscillations of Neel vector in an antiferromagnet under the action of terahertz pulses of an electromagnetic field. We determine that, with increasing pumping pulse amplitude, the spin system response increases nonlinearly in the fundamental quasi-antiferromagnetic mode. Our results theoretically show that a spin-current flowing from a heavy metal due to the spin-Hall effect vary the frequencies of the output EM oscillations in a wide range, which could be detected by a standard pump-and-probe spectroscopy. Our study paves the way to laser-induced, electrically tunable, low-power, ultrafast AFM-based oscillator that operates without external magnetic fields at room temperature for telecommunication systems, bio-inspired networks and optical networks on chip. The nonlinear dynamics of the antiferromagnet-based emitters discussed here is of importance in terahertz-frequency spintronic technologies.

Electrical manipulation of the magnetic order in antiferromagnetic PtMn pillars

Antiferromagnets are magnetically ordered materials without a macroscopic magnetization. As a result, they could be of use in the development of memory devices because data cannot be erased by external magnetic fields. However, this also makes it difficult to electrically control their magnetic order (Neel vector). Here, we show that pillars of antiferromagnetic PtMn, which are grown on a heavy-metal layer and have diameters down to 800 nm, can be reversibly switched between different magnetic states by electric currents. The devices are based on materials that are typically used in the magnetic memory industry, and we observe switching down to a current density of ~2 MA cm−2. Furthermore, by varying the amplitude of the writing current, multilevel memory characteristics can be achieved. Micromagnetic simulations suggest that the different magnetic states may consist of domains separated by domain walls with vortex and anti-vortex textures that move in response to current, modifying the average Neel vector. Pillars of antiferromagnetic PtMn, grown on a heavy-metal layer, can be reversibly switched between different magnetic states by electric currents, illustrating the potential of silicon-compatible antiferromagnetic materials in the development of memory and computing devices.

Non-magnetic origin of spin Hall magnetoresistance-like signals in Pt films and epitaxial NiO/Pt bilayers

Electrical control of magnetic order in antiferromagnetic insulators (AFIs) using a Pt overlayer as a spin current source has been recently reported, but detecting and understanding the nature of current-induced switching in AFIs remain a challenge. Here, we examine the origin of spin Hall magnetoresistance-like signals measured in a standard Hall bar geometry, which have recently been taken as evidence of current-induced switching of the antiferromagnetic order in Pt/AFI bilayers. We show that transverse voltage signals consistent with both the partial switching and toggle switching of the Néel vector in epitaxial Pt/NiO bilayers on Al2O3 are also present in Pt/Al2O3 in which the AFI is absent. We show that these signals have a thermal origin and arise from (i) transient changes in the current distribution due to nonuniform Joule heating and (ii) irreversible changes due to electromigration at elevated current densities, accompanied by long-term creep. These results suggest that more sophisticated techniques that directly probe the magnetic order are required to reliably exclude transport artifacts and thus infer information about the antiferromagnetic order in such systems.

Large Spin Hall Magnetoresistance in Antiferromagnetic α−Fe2O3/Pt Heterostructures

We investigate the spin Hall magnetoresistance (SMR) at room temperature in thin film heterostructures of antiferromagnetic, insulating, (0001)-oriented alpha-Fe2O3 (hematite) and Pt. We measure their longitudinal and transverse resistivities while rotating an applied magnetic field of up to 17T in three orthogonal planes. For out-of-plane magnetotransport measurements, we find indications for a multidomain antiferromagnetic configuration whenever the field is aligned along the film normal. For in-plane field rotations, we clearly observe a sinusoidal resistivity oscillation characteristic for the SMR due to a coherent rotation of the Neel vector. The maximum SMR amplitude of 0.25% is, surprisingly, twice as high as for prototypical ferrimagnetic Y3Fe5O12/Pt heterostructures. The SMR effect saturates at much smaller magnetic fields than in comparable antiferromagnets, making the alpha-Fe2O3/Pt system particularly interesting for room-temperature antiferromagnetic spintronic applications.

Anomalous phase shift in a Josephson junction via an antiferromagnetic interlayer

The anomalous ground state phase shift in S/AF/S Josephson junctions in the presence of the Rashba SO-coupling is predicted and numerically investigated. It is found to be a consequence of the uncompensated magnetic moment at the S/AF interfaces. The anomalous phase shift exhibits a strong dependence on the value of the SO-coupling and the sublattice magnetization with the simultaneous existence of stable and metastable branches. It depends strongly on the orientation of the Neel vector with respect to the S/AF interfaces via the dependence on the orientation of the interface uncompensated magnetic moment, what opens a way to control the Neel vector by supercurrent in Josephson systems.

Valley polarization reversal and spin ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism in quantum dots of the topological insulator monolayer bismuthene on SiC

The valley and spin polarizations associated with electronic transport in quantum dots of the large-gap topological insulator (TI) monolayer bismuthene on SiC are investigated in the linear response regime using a minimal tight-binding model that accurately describes the low-energy electronic band structure of this TI. It is found that for zigzag edges the electronic edge states are strongly valley polarized if the Fermi energy lies in the bulk energy band gap. We predict the edge-state valley polarizations to switch between valleys $K$ and ${K}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ as the Fermi energy varies from the top of the valence band to the bottom of the conduction band or if the direction of electric current through the dot is reversed. If the electrostatic potential in the dot is nonuniform, we predict that the valley polarization of an electron can reverse as it travels through the dot. The valley polarization reversal is due to the zigzag edge-state dispersion crossing the center of the Brillouin zone that separates valleys $K$ and ${K}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ and is therefore predicted to be a general phenomenon. Although the spin polarization within the edge states is ferromagnetic, as expected for spin Hall devices, our calculations reveal the out-of-plane component of the spin polarization of the bulk valence band scattering states to be antiferromagnetic, and the direction of the out-of-plane component of the Neel vector to depend on whether the electronic accumulation belongs primarily to valley $K$ or ${K}^{\ensuremath{'}}$.

Transitions of the Néel vector in spintronics

Abstract We study transitions of the Neel vector out of a metastable state to a more stable one in the presence of a polarized current. The discussion is general although the system considered is an antiferromagnetic spintronic. The presence of the current allows one to study transitions of the Neel vector as a function of temperature with the effect of dissipation that can be varied from positive to negative depending on the sign of the current. This is different than the usual case where one only has one type of positive dissipation when only magnetic field is being applied to an antiferromagnet. Using the method of path integral, we derive the expression for the rate of transitions of the Neel vector. A cross-over temperature T 0 between quantum and thermal transitions is determined. The expressions for the rates of quantum transitions below the cross-over temperature, and of thermal transitions at and above it are presented. The expression of the polarized current that diminishes the effect of dissipation is also presented as a function of temperature.

Magnetic Anisotropy by Rashba Spin–Orbit Coupling in Antiferromagnetic Thin Films

Magnetic anisotropy in an antiferromagnet (AFM) with inversion symmetry breaking (ISB) is investigated. The magnetic anisotropy energy (MAE) resulting from the Rashba spin-orbit and s-d type exchange interactions is determined for two different models of AFMs. The global ISB model, representing the effect of a surface, an interface, or a gating electric field, results in an easy-plane magnetic anisotropy. In contrast, for a local ISB model, i.e., for a noncentrosymmetric AFM, perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) arises. Both results differ from the ferromagnetic case, in which the result for PMA depends on the band structure and dimensionality. These MAE contributions play a key role in determining the direction of the Neel order parameter in antiferromagnetic nanostructures, and reflect the possibility of electrical-field control of the Neel vector.

Optical determination of the Néel vector in a CuMnAs thin-film antiferromagnet

Recent breakthroughs in electrical detection and manipulation of antiferromagnets have opened a new avenue in the research of non-volatile spintronic devices. Antiparallel spin sublattices in antiferromagnets, producing zero dipolar fields, lead to the insensitivity to magnetic field perturbations, multi-level stability, ultra-fast spin dynamics and other favorable characteristics which may find utility in fields ranging from magnetic memories to optical signal processing. However, the absence of a net magnetic moment and the ultra-short magnetization dynamics timescales make antiferromagnets notoriously difficult to study by common magnetometers or magnetic resonance techniques. In this paper we demonstrate the experimental determination of the Neel vector in a thin film of antiferromagnetic CuMnAs which is the prominent material used in the first realization of antiferromagnetic memory chips. We employ a femtosecond pump-probe magneto-optical experiment based on magnetic linear dichroism. This table-top optical method is considerably more accessible than the traditionally employed large scale facility techniques like neutron diffraction and X-ray magnetic dichroism measurements. This optical technique allows an unambiguous direct determination of the Neel vector orientation in thin antiferromagnetic films utilized in devices directly from measured data without fitting to a theoretical model.

Frustrated Heisenberg Antiferromagnets on Cubic Lattices: Magnetic Structures, Exchange Gaps, and Non-Conventional Critical Behaviour

We have studied the Heisenberg antiferromagnets characterized by the magnetic structures with the periods being two times larger than the lattice period. We have considered all the types of the Bravais lattices (simple cubic, bcc and fcc) and divided all these antiferromagnets into 7 classes i.e. 3 plus 4 classes denoted with symbols A and B correspondingly. The order parameter characterizing the degeneracies of the magnetic structures is an ordinary Neel vector for A classes and so-called 4-complex for B classes. We have taken into account the fluctuation corrections for these states within the spin-wave and large-N expansions ($N$ is the number of spin components). Below the Neel temperature $T_{\rm{N}}$ quantum and thermal fluctuations lift the degeneracy making simple one-wave vector collinear structure preferable for all the classes. A satellite of this effect is opening of the exchange gaps at certain wave vectors in the spin wave spectrum (there is an analogous effect for the nonuniform static transverse susceptibility). However, as the temperature approaches $T_{\rm{N}}$, the exchange gaps are closing. We have calculated the critical indices $\eta$ and $\nu$ to order of $1/N$ and found that they differ for A and B classes.