Two-terminal current-in-plane giant magnetoresistance devices driven by the spin-orbit torque

Spin valve effect driven by current-induced spin-orbit torques can help to realize electrically controllable and miniaturized two terminal spintronic devices. Here, we show that in a perpendicularly magnetized Fe 1 - x 1 Tb x 1/Pt/ Fe 1 - x 2 Tb x 2 spin-valve multilayer, spin currents from dual surfaces of the inserted Pt layer can be used to generate spin torques that can separately switch the adjacent ferrimagnetic Fe1-xTbx layers. In a two-terminal device, we further show that the accompanied parallel and anti-parallel magnetization configurations between the two Fe1-xTbx layers can lead to the observation of the current-in-plane giant magnetoresistance (CIP-GMR). Our results demonstrate that the current-induced spin-orbit torques can be implemented into two-terminal spin-torque devices, which can be electrically read out by the CIP-GMR. The present study could be important for designing miniaturized spintronic devices.

Automated summary

The study demonstrates that spin valve effect driven by current-induced spin-orbit torques can help to achieve electrically controllable and miniaturized two terminal spintronic devices. Spin currents from dual surfaces of the inserted Pt layer can generate spin torques that switch adjacent ferrimagnetic layers, leading to the observation of current-in-plane giant magnetoresistance in a two-terminal device. This research is important for designing miniaturized spintronic devices.