journal article·2024-04-05Open access

Giant gate modulation of antiferromagnetic spin reversal by the magnetoelectric effect

Kakeru Ujimoto, Hiroki Sameshima, Kentaro Toyoki, Takahiro Moriyama, Kohji Nakamura, Yoshinori Kotani, Motohiro Suzuki, Ion Iino, Naomi Kawamura, Ryoichi Nakatani, Yu Shiratsuchi

NPG Asia Materials· Volume 16· Issue 1

Abstract

Abstract In this study, using the Pt/Cr2O3/Pt epitaxial trilayer, we demonstrate the giant voltage modulation of the antiferromagnetic spin reversal and the voltage-induced 180° switching of the Néel vector in maintaining a permanent magnetic field. We obtained a significant modulation efficiency of the switching field, Δμ 0 H SW/ΔV (Δμ 0 H SW/ΔE), reaching a maximum of −500 mT/V (−4.80 T nm/V); this value was more than 50 times greater than that of the ferromagnetic-based counterparts. From the temperature dependence of the modulation efficiency, X-ray magnetic circular dichroism measurements and first-principles calculations, we showed that the origin of the giant modulation efficiency relied on the electric field modulation of the net magnetization due to the magnetoelectric effect. From the first-principles calculation and the thickness effect on the offset electric field, we found that the interfacial magnetoelectric effect emerged. Our demonstration reveals the energy-efficient and widely applicable operation of an antiferromagnetic spin based on a mechanism distinct from magnetic anisotropy control.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Multiferroics and related materials · Magnetic properties of thin films · Advanced Condensed Matter Physics

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