Magnetization switching of a nearly compensated ferrimagnet by enhanced spin-orbit torque

Spin-orbit torques (SOTs) provide an efficient way to electrically manipulate the magnetic order in spintronic devices. Compared with conventional ferromagnetic materials, ferrimagnetic materials have the advantages of antiferromagnetically coupled sublattices and induced ultrafast spin dynamics. In this paper, we study the current-induced magnetization switching in the ferrimagnetic Ta/GdFeCo/MgO system. Robust SOT-induced magnetization switching can be achieved at the magnetic compensation temperature point of around 70 K, where the magnetization is nearly zero and the coercivity can reach almost 3 T. The temperature dependence of the SOT efficiency is quantified by the second harmonic method, and the enhanced SOT efficiency near the magnetic compensation temperature is attributed to the negative exchange coupling between the two sublattices of CoFe and Gd. This work demonstrates the SOT switching of the nearly compensated ferrimagnet, with great potential for future magnetic interaction-free and ultrafast ferrimagnetic applications. (c) 2023 Author(s). All article content, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Automated summary

This paper investigates current-induced magnetization switching in the ferrimagnetic Ta/GdFeCo/MgO system and finds robust spin-orbit torque (SOT)-induced magnetization switching at the magnetic compensation temperature of around 70 K, where the magnetization is nearly zero and coercivity can reach almost 3 T. The temperature dependence of SOT efficiency is characterized using the second harmonic method, and the enhanced SOT efficiency near the compensation temperature is attributed to the negative exchange coupling between the CoFe and Gd sublattices. This work demonstrates the SOT switching of the nearly compensated ferrimagnet with potential for future magnetic interaction-free and ultrafast ferrimagnetic applications.