Journal
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
Volume 12, Issue 1, Pages -Publisher
NATURE RESEARCH
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22819-4
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Funding
- National Natural Science Foundation of China [11774199, 11774016, 51871112]
- 111 Project [B13029]
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Breaking inversion symmetry by introducing a compositional gradient allows for repeatable perpendicular magnetization switching in CoPt alloy films using spin-orbit torque, demonstrating a promising strategy for energy-efficient control of memory and logic devices.
Programmable magnetic field-free manipulation of perpendicular magnetization switching is essential for the development of ultralow-power spintronic devices. However, the magnetization in a centrosymmetric single-layer ferromagnetic film cannot be switched directly by passing an electrical current in itself. Here, we demonstrate a repeatable bulk spin-orbit torque (SOT) switching of the perpendicularly magnetized CoPt alloy single-layer films by introducing a composition gradient in the thickness direction to break the inversion symmetry. Experimental results reveal that the bulk SOT-induced effective field on the domain walls leads to the domain walls motion and magnetization switching. Moreover, magnetic field-free perpendicular magnetization switching caused by SOT and its switching polarity (clockwise or counterclockwise) can be reversibly controlled in the IrMn/Co/Ru/CoPt heterojunctions based on the exchange bias and interlayer exchange coupling. This unique composition gradient approach accompanied with electrically controllable SOT magnetization switching provides a promising strategy to access energy-efficient control of memory and logic devices. A major challenge of spintronics is achieving magnetic field free electrical control of magnetisation. Here, Xie et al. achieve perpendicular magnetisation switching in a CoPt alloy, breaking inversion symmetry by varying the composition of the alloy in the growth direction.
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