Control of magnetization in magnetic nanostructures is essential for development of spintronic devices because it governs fundamental device characteristics such as energy consumption, areal density, and operation speed. In this respect, spin–orbit torque (SOT), which originates from the spin–orbit interaction, has been widely investigated due to its efficient manipulation of the magnetization using in‐plane current. SOT spearheads novel spintronic applications including high‐speed magnetic memories, reconfigurable logics, and neuromorphic computing. Herein, recent advances in SOT research, highlighting the considerable benefits and challenges of SOT‐based spintronic devices, are reviewed. First, the materials and structural engineering that enhances SOT efficiency are discussed. Then major experimental results for field‐free SOT switching of perpendicular magnetization are summarized, which includes the introduction of an internal effective magnetic field and the generation of a distinct spin current with out‐of‐plane spin polarization. Finally, advanced SOT functionalities are presented, focusing on the demonstration of reconfigurable and complementary operation in spin logic devices.
The spin relaxation mechanism in single-crystalline and polycrystalline platinum (Pt) thin films is revealed by a quantum interference effect. Examining the relationship between the spin relaxation rate and momentum scattering rate by changing Pt thickness, we find that the spin relaxation rate of Pt strongly depends on both crystal structure and thickness even though the quality of material (Pt) is unchanged. In particular, the D'yakonov-Perel' mechanism is considered as a dominant mechanism under cases where scattering events are suppressed or the interface effect is not negligible.
Colloidal Au‐amplified surface plasmon resonance (SPR), like traditional SPR, is typically used to detect binding events on a thin noble metal film. The two major concerns in developing colloidal Au‐amplified SPR lie in 1) the instability, manifested as a change in morphology following immersion in organic solvents and aqueous solutions, and 2) the uncontrollable interparticle distance, determining probe spacing and inducing steric hindrance between neighboring probe molecules. This may introduce uncertainties into such detecting techniques, degrade the sensitivity, and become the barricade hampering colloidal Au‐based transducers from applications in sensing. In this paper, colloidal Au‐amplified SPR transducers are produced by using ultrathin Au/Al2O3 nanocomposite films via a radio frequency magnetron co‐sputtering method. Deposited Au/Al2O3 nanocomposite films exhibit superior stability, and average interparticle distances between Au nanoparticles with similar average sizes can be tuned by changing surface coverage. These characteristics are ascribed to the spacer function and rim confinement of dielectric Al2O3 and highlight their advantages for application in optimal nanoparticle‐amplified SPR, especially when the probe size is smaller than the target molecule size. This importance is demonstrated here for the binding of protein (streptavidin) targets to the probe (biotin) surface. In this case, the dielectric matrix Al2O3 is a main contributor, behaving as a spacer, tuning the concentration of Au nanoparticles, and manipulating the average interparticle distance, and thus guaranteeing an appropriate number of biotin molecules and expected near‐field coupling to obtain optimal sensing performance.
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