Using antiferromagnets as active elements in spintronics requires the ability to manipulate and read-out the Néel vector orientation. Here we demonstrate for Mn2Au, a good conductor with a high ordering temperature suitable for applications, reproducible switching using current pulse generated bulk spin-orbit torques and read-out by magnetoresistance measurements. Reversible and consistent changes of the longitudinal resistance and planar Hall voltage of star-patterned epitaxial Mn2Au(001) thin films were generated by pulse current densities of ≃107 A/cm2. The symmetry of the torques agrees with theoretical predictions and a large read-out magnetoresistance effect of more than ≃6% is reproduced by ab initio transport calculations.

In the field of antiferromagnetic (AFM) spintronics, information about the Néel vector, AFM domain sizes, and spin-flop fields is a prerequisite for device applications but is not available easily. We have investigated AFM domains and spin-flop induced changes of domain patterns in Mn 2 Au(001) epitaxial thin films by X-ray magnetic linear dichroism photoemission electron microscopy (XMLD-PEEM) using magnetic fields up to 70 T. As-prepared Mn 2 Au films exhibit AFM domains with an average size ≤1 µm. Application of a 30 T field, exceeding the spin-flop field, along a magnetocrystalline easy axis dramatically increases the AFM domain size with Néel vectors perpendicular to the applied field direction. The width of Néel type domain walls (DW) is below the spatial resolution of the PEEM and therefore can only be estimated from an analysis of the DW profile to be smaller than 80 nm. Furthermore, using the values for the DW width and the spin-flop field, we evaluate an in-plane anisotropy constant ranging between 1 and 17 µeV/f.u.. arXiv:1803.03022v1 [cond-mat.mtrl-sci]

Evidence for a spin reorientation in antiferromagnetic (AFM) Mn2Au thin films induced by high magnetic fields as well as by the application of in‐plane mechanical stress is provided. The AFM domain population in the samples was investigated by resonant X‐ray Magnetic Linear Dichroism (XMLD) measurements at the L3 edge of Mn using a variable linear polarization of the incident photon beam. As grown samples show no XMLD signal due to averaging over a random AFM domain distribution. After the exposure to a 70 T in‐plane magnetic field a clear XMLD signal indicating the generation of a preferential AFM domain orientation is obtained. The same type of XMLD signal is observed when the thin films are strained, demonstrating the feasibility of AFM domain manipulation by magnetic fields and stress in Mn2Au.