We report the observation of current-induced spin torque resonance in yttrium iron garnet/platinum bilayers. An alternating charge current at GHz frequencies in the platinum gives rise to dc spin pumping and spin Hall magnetoresistance rectification voltages, induced by the Oersted fields of the ac current and the spin Hall effect-mediated spin transfer torque. In ultrathin yttrium iron garnet films, we observe spin transfer torque actuated magnetization dynamics which are significantly larger than those generated by the ac Oersted field. Spin transfer torques thus efficiently couple charge currents and magnetization dynamics also in magnetic insulators, enabling charge current-based interfacing of magnetic insulators with microwave devices.

Despite recent efforts to advance spintronics devices and quantum information technology using materials with non-trivial topological properties, three key challenges are still unresolved1–9. First, the identification of topological band degeneracies that are generically rather than accidentally located at the Fermi level. Second, the ability to easily control such topological degeneracies. And third, the identification of generic topological degeneracies in large, multisheeted Fermi surfaces. By combining de Haas–van Alphen spectroscopy with density functional theory and band-topology calculations, here we show that the non-symmorphic symmetries10–17 in chiral, ferromagnetic manganese silicide (MnSi) generate nodal planes (NPs)11,12, which enforce topological protectorates (TPs) with substantial Berry curvatures at the intersection of the NPs with the Fermi surface (FS) regardless of the complexity of the FS. We predict that these TPs will be accompanied by sizeable Fermi arcs subject to the direction of the magnetization. Deriving the symmetry conditions underlying topological NPs, we show that the 1,651 magnetic space groups comprise 7 grey groups and 26 black-and-white groups with topological NPs, including the space group of ferromagnetic MnSi. Thus, the identification of symmetry-enforced TPs, which can be controlled with a magnetic field, on the FS of MnSi suggests the existence of similar properties—amenable for technological exploitation—in a large number of materials.

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