Direct imaging of electrical switching of antiferromagnetic Néel order in 
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 epitaxial films

Cogulu, Egecan; Statuto, Nahuel; Cheng, Yang; Yang, Fengyuan; Chopdekar, Rajesh V.; Ohldag, Hendrik; Kent, Andrew D.

doi:10.1103/physrevb.103.l100405

Cited by 29 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Previous studies [14,15] assume that the Néel vector for c-axis α-Fe 2 O 3 thin films is purely in the sample plane. However, recent x-ray microscopy has revealed that thin films similar to ours also have an out-of-plane magnetic component [17]. Therefore, direct reconstruction will not be single-valued and may not be reliable.…”

Section: A Magnetic Field Initializationmentioning

confidence: 80%

“…SOT-induced Néel order switching has been reported in the AF metals CuMnAs [5,6] and Mn 2 Au [7,8]. Several studies have also shown currentinduced Néel order switching in AF insulators including CoO [9], NiO [10][11][12][13] and α-Fe 2 O 3 [14][15][16][17] by detecting changes in the Hall resistivity. However, purely electrical measurements are difficult to interpret.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, electromigration can influence the measured signal in a way that mimics a switching-like response [18,19]. Magnetic imaging techniques have been used to reveal the local magnetic order switching in AF insulators, including birefringence imaging of NiO [10], X-ray magnetic linear dichroism (XMLD), photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM) of NiO [11,12] and α-Fe 2 O 3 [17], and spin Seebeck microscopy of NiO [20]. Imaging studies of Néel order switching in both NiO and α-Fe 2 O 3 have revealed current-induced switching in SOT-free regions of the sample [10,17], suggesting SOT is either not or not solely responsible for switching.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Magnetic imaging techniques have been used to reveal the local magnetic order switching in AF insulators, including birefringence imaging of NiO [10], X-ray magnetic linear dichroism (XMLD), photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM) of NiO [11,12] and α-Fe 2 O 3 [17], and spin Seebeck microscopy of NiO [20]. Imaging studies of Néel order switching in both NiO and α-Fe 2 O 3 have revealed current-induced switching in SOT-free regions of the sample [10,17], suggesting SOT is either not or not solely responsible for switching. At the current densities necessary to produce strong SOTs, the substantial Joule heating can induce thermal expansion and thus strain in the AF layer.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Current-induced switching of thin film $α$-Fe$_2$O$_3$ devices imaged using a scanning single-spin microscope

Guo¹,

D'Addario²,

Yang³

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Electrical switching of Néel order in an antiferromagnetic insulator is desirable as a basis for memory applications. Unlike electrically-driven switching of ferromagnetic order via spin-orbit torques, electrical switching of antiferromagnetic order remains poorly understood. Here we investigate the low-field magnetic properties of 30 nm thick, c-axis oriented α-Fe 2 O 3 Hall devices using a diamond nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center scanning microscope. Using the canted moment of α-Fe 2 O 3 as a magnetic handle on its Néel vector, we apply a saturating in-plane magnetic field to create a known initial state before letting the state relax in low field for magnetic imaging. We repeat this procedure for different in-plane orientations of the initialization field. We find that the magnetic field images are characterized by stronger magnetic textures for fields along [ 11 20] and [11 20], suggesting that despite the expected 3-fold magneto-crystalline anisotropy, our α-Fe 2 O 3 thin films have an overall in-plane uniaxial anisotropy. We also study current-induced switching of the magnetic order in α-Fe 2 O 3 . We find that the fraction of the device that switches depends on the current pulse duration, amplitude and direction relative to the initialization field. Specifically, we find that switching is most efficient when current is applied along the direction of the initialization field.

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Section: A Magnetic Field Initializationmentioning

confidence: 80%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Current-induced switching of thin film $α$-Fe$_2$O$_3$ devices imaged using a scanning single-spin microscope

Guo¹,

D'Addario²,

Yang³

et al. 2022

Preprint

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show abstract

“…Here, we focus on α-Fe 2 O 3 , which is a promising material candidate for AFM spintronics as it exhibits ultra-low Gilbert damping and has exceptionally-long and tunable spin diffusion [15,16], shows a sizable spin-Hall magnetoresistance [17,18] and its AFM domain configurations can potentially be switched using pulsed currents through heavy-metal overlayers [19,20]. We previously reported the discovery of flat (anti)vortices in α-Fe 2 O 3 thin films coupled to a ferromagnetic Co overlayer [21] and, more recently, of topological merons, antimerons and bimerons in films with a Pt overlayer [22].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A route towards stable homochiral topological textures in A-type antiferromagnets

Harrison,

Jani,

Radaelli

2021

Preprint

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Topologically protected whirling magnetic textures could emerge as data carriers in nextgeneration post-Moore computing. Such textures are abundantly observed in ferromagnets (FMs); however, their antiferromagnetic (AFM) counterparts are expected to be even more relevant for device applications, as they promise ultra-fast, deflection-free dynamics whilst being robust against external fields. Unfortunately, they have remained elusive, hence identifying materials hosting such textures is key to developing this technology. Here, we present comprehensive micromagnetic and analytical models investigating topological textures in the broad material class of A-type antiferromagnets, specifically focusing on the prototypical case of α-Fe2O3 -an emerging candidate for AFM spintronics. By exploiting a symmetry breaking interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (iDMI), it is possible to stabilize a wide topological family, including AFM (anti)merons and bimerons and the hitherto undiscovered AFM skyrmions. Whilst iDMI enforces homochirality and improves the stability of these textures, the widely tunable anisotropy and exchange interactions enable unprecedented control of their core dimensions. We then present a unifying framework to model the scaling of texture sizes based on a simple dimensional analysis. As the parameters required to host and tune homochiral AFM textures may be obtained by rational materials design of α-Fe2O3, it could emerge as a promising platform to initiate AFM topological spintronics.

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Antiferromagnetic spintronics: An overview and outlook

Xiong

Jiang

Shi

et al. 2022

Fundamental Research

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Direct imaging of electrical switching of antiferromagnetic Néel order in α−Fe2O3 epitaxial films

Cited by 29 publications

References 24 publications

Current-induced switching of thin film $α$-Fe$_2$O$_3$ devices imaged using a scanning single-spin microscope

Current-induced switching of thin film $α$-Fe$_2$O$_3$ devices imaged using a scanning single-spin microscope

A route towards stable homochiral topological textures in A-type antiferromagnets

Antiferromagnetic spintronics: An overview and outlook

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