A universal strategy for electric field control of nonvolatile magnetization reversal

Achieving electric field control of nonvolatile magnetization reversal in van der Waals magnetic tunnel junctions (vdW MTJs) is of paramount importance for nanoscale spintronic devices with ultralow-power consumption and high-density storage. Here, a new and universal design strategy is proposed to realize nonvolatile magnetization reversal, which is based on electric field control of interlayer coupling. The nonvolatility benefits from the proposed special principle of vdW MTJ, in which the dependence of interlayer coupling energy on electric field strength follows a continuous odd function in mathematics. The feasibility of proposed strategy is proved by the MnBi ₂Te ₄/ h-BN/Fe ₃GaTe ₂/ h-BN/MnBi ₂Te ₄ junction. The magnetization state of Fe ₃GaTe ₂ can be reversed 180° by changing electric field directions. Moreover, the magnetization states can be preserved after removing electric field, demonstrating the nonvolatile magnetization reversal. Therefore, the present strategy provides an alternative approach to realize electric control of nonvolatile magnetization reversal in vdW MTJs for next-generation spintronic devices.