Highly efficient spin-orbit torque in Pt/Co/Ir multilayers with antiferromagnetic interlayer exchange coupling

We have studied the spin-orbit torque (SOT) in Pt/Co/Ir multilayers with three repeats of the unit structure. As the system exhibits oscillatory interlayer exchange coupling with varying Ir layer thickness, we compare the SOT of films when the Co layers are coupled ferromagnetically and antiferromagnetically. SOT is evaluated using current-induced shift of the anomalous Hall resistance hysteresis loops. A relatively thick Pt layer, serving as a seed layer to the multilayer, is used to generate spin current via the spin Hall effect. In the absence of antiferromagnetic coupling, the SOT is constant against the applied current density and the corresponding spin torque efficiency (i.e., the effective spin Hall angle) is similar to 0.09, in agreement with previous reports. In contrast, for films with antiferromagnetic coupling, the SOT increases with the applied current density and eventually saturates. The SOT at saturation is a factor of similar to 15 larger than that without the antiferromagnetic coupling. The spin torque efficiency is approximately five times larger if we assume the net total magnetization is reduced by a factor of 3 due to the antiferromagnetic coupling. Model calculations based on the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation show that the presence of antiferromagnetic coupling can increase the SOT but the degree of enhancement is limited, in this case, to a factor of 1.2-1.4. We thus consider there are other sources of SOT, possibly at the interfaces, which may account for the highly efficient SOT in the uncompensated synthetic antiferromagnet multilayers.