Spin Logic Devices Research Articles

Observation and enhancement of room temperature bilinear magnetoelectric resistance in sputtered topological semimetal Pt3Sn

Topological semimetal materials have attracted a great deal of attention due to their intrinsic strong spin-orbit coupling, which leads to large charge-to-spin conversion efficiency and novel spin transport behaviors. In this work, we have observed a bilinear magnetoelectric resistance (BMER) of up to 0.0034 nm2A−1Oe−1 in a single layer of sputtered semimetal Pt3Sn at room temperature. Being different from previous works, the value of BMER in sputtered Pt3Sn does not change out-of-plane due to the polycrystalline nature of the Pt3Sn layer. The observation of BMER provides strong evidence of the existence of spin-momentum locking in the sputtered polycrystalline Pt3Sn. By adding an adjacent CoFeB magnetic layer, the BMER value of this bilayer system is doubled compared to the single Pt3Sn layer. This work broadens the material system in BMER study, which paves the way for the characterization of topological states and applications for spin memory and logic devices.

An energy efficient way for quantitative magnetization switching

Recent advancements in electrically controlled spin devices have been made possible through the use of multiferroic systems comprising ferroelectric (FE) and ferromagnetic (FM) materials. This progress provides a promising avenue for developing energy-efficient devices that allow for electrically controlled magnetization switching. In this study, we fabricated spin orbit torque (SOT) devices using multiferroic composites and examined the angular dependence of SOT effects on localized in-plane strain induced by an out-of-plane electric field applied to the piezoelectric substrate. The induced strain precisely modulates magnetization switching via the SOT effect in multiferroic heterostructures, which also exhibit remarkable capability to modulate strain along different orientations – a feature with great potential for future applications in logic device arrays. To investigate the influence of electric fields on magnetization switching, harmonic Hall measurements, synchrotron-powered x-ray magnetic circular dichroism-photoemission electron microscopy (XMCD-PEEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), magnetic force microscopy (MFM), and micromagnetic simulation were conducted. The results demonstrate that electric-field-induced strain enables precise control of SOT-induced magnetization switching with significantly reduced energy consumption, making it highly suitable for next-generation spin logic devices.

Highly Efficient Spin Injection and Readout Across Van Der Waals Interface.

Spin injection, transport, and detection across the interface between a ferromagnet and a spin-carrying channel are crucial for energy-efficient spin logic devices. However, interfacial conductance mismatch, spin dephasing, and inefficient spin-to-charge conversion significantly reduce the efficiency of these processes. In this study, it is demonstrated that an all van der Waals heterostructure consisting of a ferromagnet (Fe3GeTe2) and Weyl semimetal enables a large spin readout efficiency. Specifically, a nonlocal spin readout signal of 150mΩ and a local spin readout signal of 7.8Ω is achieved, which reach the signal level useful for practical spintronic devices. The remarkable spin readout signal is attributed to suppressed spin dephasing channels at the vdW interfaces, long spin diffusion, and efficient charge-spin interconversion in Td-MoTe2. These findings highlight the potential of vdW heterostructures for spin Hall effect-enabled spin detection with high efficiency, opening up new possibilities for spin-orbit logic devices using vdW interfaces.

Realization of logic operations via spin–orbit torque driven perpendicular magnetization switching in a heavy metal/ferrimagnet bilayer

Programmable and non-volatile spin-based logic devices have attracted significant interest for use in logic circuits. Realization of logic operations via spin–orbit torque (SOT) driven magnetization switching could be a crucial step in the direction of building logic-in-memory architectures. In this work, we demonstrate experimentally, the realization of four logic operations in a heavy metal/ferrimagnet bilayer structure via SOT switching. We also propose a general scheme for choosing input parameters to achieve programmable logic operations. The bulk and tunable perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and relatively lower saturation magnetization in ferrimagnets are found to make them more energy efficient in performing logic operations, as compared to conventional ferromagnets. Thus, ferrimagnets are promising candidates for use in logic-in-memory architectures, leading to the realization of user-friendly spin logic devices in the future.

Spin logic devices based on negative differential resistance-enhanced anomalous Hall effect

Spin logic devices based on negative differential resistance-enhanced anomalous Hall effect

Progress in Spin Logic Devices Based on Domain-Wall Motion.

Spintronics, utilizing both the charge and spin of electrons, benefits from the nonvolatility, low switching energy, and collective behavior of magnetization. These properties allow the development of magnetoresistive random access memories, with magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) playing a central role. Various spin logic concepts are also extensively explored. Among these, spin logic devices based on the motion of magnetic domain walls (DWs) enable the implementation of compact and energy-efficient logic circuits. In these devices, DW motion within a magnetic track enables spin information processing, while MTJs at the input and output serve as electrical writing and reading elements. DW logic holds promise for simplifying logic circuit complexity by performing multiple functions within a single device. Nevertheless, the demonstration of DW logic circuits with electrical writing and reading at the nanoscale is still needed to unveil their practical application potential. In this review, we discuss material advancements for high-speed DW motion, progress in DW logic devices, groundbreaking demonstrations of current-driven DW logic, and its potential for practical applications. Additionally, we discuss alternative approaches for current-free information propagation, along with challenges and prospects for the development of DW logic.

Field-free magnetization switching through large out-of-plane spin–orbit torque in the ferromagnetic CoPt single layers

Spin–orbit torque (SOT) induced magnetization switching in an energy-efficient and fast way has exhibited great application potential in next generation magnetic memories. However, a complicated layer structure is usually needed to break the mirror symmetry for achieving SOT induced field-free magnetization switching. Here, we report a sizeable field-free magnetization switching through large out-of-plane SOT in the chemically disordered A1-CoxPt100−x single layers within a Co composition range from 40 to 70. The largest absolute out-of-plane SOT efficiency is found at its equiatomic concentration (Co50Pt50), in which the absolute in-plane SOT efficiency also reaches the maximum value, 22.7 Oe/107 A cm−2. We further demonstrate that the symmetry dependence of field-free magnetization switching might arise from the chemically ordered L11-CoPt nano-scaled platelets formed during the sample deposition. We expect that the experimental identification of the field-free magnetization switching in the ferromagnetic CoPt single layer is desirable to simplify the applications of spin logic devices.

Manipulating Spin‐Lattice Coupling in Layered Magnetic Topological Insulator Heterostructure via Interface Engineering

AbstractInduced magnetic order in a topological insulator (TI) can be realized either by depositing magnetic adatoms on the surface of a TI or engineering the interface with epitaxial thin film or stacked assembly of 2D van der Waals (vdW) materials. Herein, the observation of spin‐phonon coupling in the otherwise non‐magnetic TI Bi2Te3 is reported, due to the proximity of FePS3 (an antiferromagnet (AFM), TN ≈ 120 K), in a vdW heterostructure framework. Temperature‐dependent Raman spectroscopic studies reveal deviation from the usual phonon anharmonicity originated from spin‐lattice coupling at the Bi2Te3/FePS3 interface at/below 60 K in the peak position (self‐energy) and linewidth (lifetime) of the characteristic phonon modes of Bi2Te3 (106 and 138 cm−1) in the stacked heterostructure. The Ginzburg‐Landau (GL) formalism, where the respective phonon frequencies of Bi2Te3 couple to phonons of similar frequencies of FePS3 in the AFM phase, is adopted to understand the origin of the hybrid magneto‐elastic modes. At the same time, the reduction of characteristic TN of FePS3 from 120 K in isolated flakes to 65 K in the heterostructure, possibly due to the interfacial strain, which leads to smaller Fe‐S‐Fe bond angles as corroborated by computational studies using density functional theory (DFT). Besides, inserting hexagonal boron nitride within Bi2Te3/FePS3 stacking regains the anharmonicity in Bi2Te3. Controlling interfacial spin‐phonon coupling in stacked heterostructure can have potential application in surface code spin logic devices.

Graphene-based spintronics

Graphene, the first isolated two-dimensional atomic crystal, is about to pass its 20th year. The last decade has been a critical period for graphene to gradually move from the laboratory to practical applications, and the research on the spin-related physical properties and various spintronic applications of graphene is still enduring. In this review, we systematically retrospect the important and state-of-art progresses about graphene-based spintronics. First, spin–orbit coupling and various tuning means in graphene have been introduced, such as adatoms, electrical control, and the proximity effect. Second, several methods for inducing magnetism in graphene are summarized, including defect, atom doping, proximity effect, and the recently attractive twisted magic-angle. Third, graphene-based lateral and vertical spin valves are discussed, along with some emergent spin transport properties, including spin injection, scattering, and relaxation. Fourth, graphene-based spin logic circuits for spin communications and multifunctional spin logic devices are exhibited. Finally, some significant opportunities and challenges of graphene-based spintronics for the fundamental physics and practical applications in the future are briefly discussed.

Interface Effect on the Out‐of‐Plane Spin‐Orbit Torque in the Ferromagnetic CoPt Single Layers

AbstractField‐free switching of a perpendicularly magnetized heavy metal/ferromagnetic metal bilayer or single alloy layer through spin‐orbit torque (SOT) provides a potential way for next‐generation spintronic devices with fast speed and high efficiency. Here, a sizable symmetry dependence of field‐free magnetization switching via an out‐of‐plane torque in CoxPt100−x single layers is reported. It is found that the sign of in‐plane SOT in CoxPt100−x when x ≤ 25 is positive. However, it changes to negative when x > 25, while the out‐of‐plane SOT changes its sign when x > 30. The polarized neutron reflectometry measurement further suggests an interface layer with rich Pt content near the substrate, which could have a strong interface effect on the out‐of‐plane SOT. The sign of the out‐of‐plane SOT, and then the polarity of the field‐free magnetization switching, is determined by the competition between the out‐of‐plane torques arising from the bulk and interface parts in the CoxPt100−x single layers. It is expected that such interface effect of the out‐of‐plane torque is desirable to the applications in spin logic devices using symmetry dependence of field‐free magnetization switching in the ferromagnetic CoPt single layers.

Detection of focused beams of surface magnetostatic waves in YIG / Pt structures

The purpose of this work is to experimentally study, using the inverse spin Hall effect (ISHE), the detection of focused beams of magnetostatic surface waves (MSSW) in integrated YIG (3.9 µm) / Pt (4 nm) thin-film microstructures, where the focusing effect was ensured by the curvilinear shape of the exciting antenna. Make a comparison with the case of detecting MSSWs excited by a rectilinear antenna. Methods. Experiments were carried out using the delay line structures based on the YIG/Pt. The amplitude-frequency characteristics of the YIG/Pt structure and the frequency dependence of the EMF (V(f)) induced in platinum were studied. Results. It was shown that at frequencies f near the long-wavelength limit of the MSSW spectrum, the magnitude of the EMF V(f) generated by a focused MSSW can be several times higher than the values of V(f) in the case of MSSW excitation by a common (straight) antenna. In this case, in the short-wavelength part of the spectrum, on the contrary, the magnitude of the EMF generated by the focused MSSW beam turns out to be noticeably smaller. This behavior is associated with chromatic aberration of the focusing antenna for the MSSW, which manifests itself in the frequency dependence of the focal length of the antenna, which is confirmed by the results of micromagnetic modeling. It is shown that the drop in the EMF signal generated by a focused MSSW beam in the short-wavelength part of the spectrum is associated with the focus reaching the area of the YIG not covered with the Pt film. In this case, the increase in V(f) in the long-wavelength region of the MSSW spectrum is explained by an increase in the linear power density of the MSSW and the formation of caustics under the Pt film. Conclusion. Obtained results can be used for the development of highly sensitive spin wave detectors and the creation of spin logic devices.

Tunable Spin-Polarized States in Graphene on a Ferrimagnetic Oxide Insulator.

Spin-polarized two-dimensional (2D) materials with large and tunable spin-splitting energy promise the field of 2D spintronics. While graphene has been a canonical 2D material, its spin properties and tunability are limited. Here, this work demonstrates the emergence of robust spin-polarization in graphene with large and tunable spin-splitting energy of up to 132 meV at zero applied magnetic fields. The spin polarization is induced through a magnetic exchange interaction between graphene and the underlying ferrimagnetic oxide insulating layer, Tm3 Fe5 O12 , as confirmed by its X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD). The spin-splitting energies are directly measured and visualized by the shift in their Landau-fan diagram mapped by analyzing the measured Shubnikov-de-Haas (SdH) oscillations as a function of applied electric fields, showing consistent fit with the first-principles and machine learning calculations. Further, the observed spin-splitting energies can be tuned over a broad range between 98 and 166 meV by field cooling. The methods and results are applicable to other 2D (magnetic) materials and heterostructures, and offer great potential for developing next-generation spin logic and memory devices.

Study of Synthetic Antiferromagnetic Nanostructures Based on CoFeB/Ru/CoFe

A study of the magnetic properties of synthetic antiferromagnetic nanostructures (SAF) has been carried out. In the SAF structure, two ferromagnetic layers separated by a nonmagnetic metal are coupled by the exchange RKKY interaction (Ruderman— Kittel—Kasuya—Yoshida), which has an oscillating character. The total magnetic moment of the SAF structure is minimal with an antiparallel configuration of the magnetization of the ferromagnetic layers, due to which the effect on the magnetic layers in the structure is reduced. The structures under study have a number of unique properties and are used in the elements of nonvolatile magnetoresistive memory, in magnetic field transducers, and in spin logic devices. The characteristics of the SAF of CoFeB/Ru/CoFe nanostructures with the Ru layer thickness corresponding to the second antiferromagnetic maximum are obtained. The magnetization reversal curves of SAF structures with Ru thickness of 2.1 nm, 2.3 nm and 2.5 nm have been studied. The optimal ratio of ferromagnetic layers was selected to reduce the magnetic moment of the SAF structure. A study of the effect of thermomagnetic treatment on the properties of the SAF nanostructure was carried out, which showed that there are no significant changes in the magnetization reversal, and the magnetic saturation field slightly increases. The curves of magnetization reversal of CoFeB/Ru/CoFe structures fixed by the antiferromagnetic layer are presented. In addition, magnetization reversal curves of spin-tunnel magnetoresistive nanostructures with an antiferromagnetic layer and a SAF structure are presented, and an analysis of the thermal stability of the structures with SAF is also carried out.

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.

High spin current density in gate-tunable spin-valves based on graphene nanoribbons

The usage of two-dimensional (2D) materials will be very advantageous for many developing spintronic device designs, providing a superior method of managing spin. Non-volatile memory technologies, particularly magnetic random-access memories (MRAMs), characterized by 2D materials are the goal of the effort. A sufficiently large spin current density is indispensable for the writing mode of MRAMs to switch states. How to attain spin current density beyond critical values around 5 MA/cm2 in 2D materials at room temperature is the greatest obstacle to overcome. Here, we first theoretically propose a spin valve based on graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) to generate a huge spin current density at room temperature. The spin current density can achieve the critical value with the help of tunable gate voltage. The highest spin current density can reach 15 MA/cm2 by adjusting the band gap energy of GNRs and exchange strength in our proposed gate-tunable spin-valve. Also, ultralow writing power can be obtained, successfully overcoming the difficulties traditional magnetic tunnel junction-based MRAMs have faced. Furthermore, the proposed spin-valve meets the reading mode criteria and the MR ratios are always higher than 100%. These results may open the feasibility avenues for spin logic devices based on 2D materials.

Proposal for a spin logic device based on magneto‐electric effect and spin Hall effect

AbstractBased on magneto‐electric (ME) effect and spin Hall effect (SHE), the authors propose a novel spin logic device named MESH‐SLD. In MESH‐SLD, the charge current is transmitted in the channel by employing inverse SHE, which solves the dissipation problem of spin current in the channel of all‐spin logic device (ASLD). By using a magnetization‐dynamics/spin‐transport hybrid model, the authors have investigated the influence of working voltage, channel lengths, and materials on the performance of the MESH‐SLD. And the simulation results show that the energy dissipation of the MESH‐SLD only increases approximately linearly with the increase of channel length, while the switching delay remains almost unchanged. In addition, with the increase of the spin Hall angle of the channel material, the energy dissipation and the minimum working voltage of the MESH‐SLD decrease significantly. Most importantly, compared with conventional ASLD, the proposed MESH‐SLD improve the switching delay and the energy dissipation by about 2.5 times and 851.8 times, respectively.

An Ultrathin Flexible Programmable Spin Logic Device Based on Spin–Orbit Torque

Flexible electronic devices have shown increasingly promising value facilitating our daily lives. However, flexible spintronic devices remain in their infancy. Here, this research demonstrates a type of nonvolatile, low power dissipation, and programmable flexible spin logic device, which is based on the spin-orbit torque in polyimide (PI)/Ta/Pt/Co/Pt heterostructures fabricated via capillary-assisted electrochemical delamination. The magnetization switching ratio is shown to be about 50% for the flexible device and does not change after 100 cycles of bending, indicating the device has stable performance. By designing the path of pulse current, five Boolean logic gates AND, NAND, NOT, NOR, and OR can be realized in an integrated two-element device. Moreover, such peeling-off devices can be successfully transferred to almost any substrate, such as paper and human skin, and maintain high performance. The flexible PI/Ta/Pt/Co/Pt spin logic device serves as logic-in-memory architecture and can be used in wearable electronics.

Graphene Spin Valvesfor Spin Logic Devices.

An alternative to charge-based electronics identifies the spin degree of freedom for information communication and processing. The long spin-diffusion length in graphene at room temperature demonstrates its ability for highly scalable spintronics. The development of the graphene spin valve (SV) has inspired spin devices in graphene including spin field-effect transistors and spin majority logic gates. A comprehensive picture of spin transport in graphene SVs is required for further development of spin logic. This review examines the advances in graphene SVs and their role in the development of spin logic devices. Different transport and scattering mechanisms in charge and spin are discussed. Furthermore, the on/off switching energy between graphene SVs and charge-based FETs is compared to highlight their prospects for low-power devices. The challenges and perspectives that need to be addressed for the future development of spin logic devices are then outlined.

Magnetic skyrmion nucleation via current injection in confined nanotrack with modified perpendicular anisotropy region

Magnetic skyrmions, as spintronic information carriers, are promising for next-generation spin logic and memory devices. For such skyrmion-based devices, effective control of skyrmion nucleation and controllable motion in the nanotrack are of great importance. The ion irradiation process can modify magnetic properties, such as perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) and Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction (DMI), at the nanoscale, which can be used to reduce the design complexity of devices. In this study, a nanoregion without PMA in the nanotrack is adopted as a skyrmion nucleation seed and a current-driven highly efficient, in-line, and on-demand skyrmion nucleation schematic is presented. A key factor for realizing this concept is that the disappearance of PMA and the existence of DMI induce magnetization tilts and create a chiral perpendicular stripe domain within the nucleation region. This stripe domain allows the effective control of the spin transfer torque, and it is ejected from the PMA-modified region and propelled into the nanotrack, forming a stable skyrmion. Our proposed device allows the controlled nucleation and propagation of a series of skyrmions, which allows binary information to be written in a controlled manner, consequently, yielding simple devices with two terminals. This study provides an efficient route for designing tunable skyrmionics-mechanic memory devices.

Spin wave excitations in a nanowire spin Hall oscillator with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy

Spin torque oscillators (STOs) are emerging microwave devices that can potentially be used in spin-logic devices and the next-generation high-speed computing architecture. Thanks to their non-linear nature, STOs are easily tunable by the magnetic field and the dc current. Spin Hall nano-oscillators are promising types of STOs and most of the current studies focus on localized modes that can be easily excited. Here, we study using micromagnetic simulations, the nature of the spin-torque-induced excitations in nanowire devices made of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) materials. Our results showed that, upon including PMA, the excitation of localized and propagating spin wave modes is feasible. We study the nature of the mode excitations as a function of the PMA strength (Ku) and the current. Indeed, we estimate a critical value of Ku to allow for the excitation of the propagating spin wave. We attribute this mode selectivity between localized and propagating modes to the magnitude and the change of the sign of the nonlinearity of the system from negative to positive at a non-zero Ku, which is supported by analytical calculations. Our results provide deep insight into engineering microwave devices for future magnonic and computational applications.