Slonczewski-like torque and the Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction (DMI) are important factors in current-induced magnetization switching and domain-wall motion seen in ferromagnetic metal (FM)/heavy metal (HM) structures. We demonstrate the tuning of both factors by inserting a thin Pt layer between Ta and CoFeB in the Ta/CoFeB/MgO structures. The results suggest that the Slonczewski-like torque and DMI decreases with increasing Pt thickness (tPt) in the range 0–1 nm. In consequence, the critical switching current density from the induced spin-orbit torque (SOT) increases whereas the required in-plane field for deterministic switching decreases. The sign of the DMI reverses around tPt = 1 nm, confirming that D has the opposite sign at the Ta/CoFeB and Pt/CoFeB interfaces; but its intensity saturates at tPt = 3 nm, suggesting that several interface monolayers may contribute to the DMI. Our results verifies that a thin HM interlayer may be a suitable route to tailor the SOTs and DMI at the HM/FM interface, as well as the current-induced magnetization switching in these structures.
The double-shifted magnetic hysteresis loops, which are accompanied by the formation of bi-domain state, are normally observed after zero field cooling a demagnetized sample or as-deposited ferromagnetic (FM)/antiferromagnetic (AFM) structures. In the pioneer works, this phenomenon was explained by the imprinting of ferromagnetic FM domain in AFM layer, however the interaction between the FM and AFM domain has never been discussed. In this work, we observed double-shifted magnetic hysteresis loops and bi-domain state in [Co 0.3/ Ni 0.4i] N /IrMn multilayers with perpendicualr magnetic anisotropy. By comparing the domain patterns in (Co 0.3/Ni 0.4) N /IrMn multilayers, we may conclude that the bi-domain state in FM/ AFM structure is related to both the FM and AFM domain, and the domain size is determined by the minimum of the total energy in the FM/AFM system through the interficial coupling.
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