DataVXAdvanced MaterialsPaper
journal article·2023-09Open access

Symmetry Control of Unconventional Spin–Orbit Torques in IrO2

Michael Patton, Gautam Gurung, Ding‐Fu Shao, Gahee Noh, Joseph A. Mittelstaedt, Marcel Mazur, Jong‐Woo Kim, Philip J. Ryan, Evgeny Y. Tsymbal, Si‐Young Choi, Daniel C. Ralph, Mark S. Rzchowski, Tianxiang Nan, Chang‐Beom Eom

Advanced Materials· Volume 35· Issue 39
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Source abstract

Abstract

Abstract Spin–orbit torques generated by a spin current are key to magnetic switching in spintronic applications. The polarization of the spin current dictates the direction of switching required for energy‐efficient devices. Conventionally, the polarizations of these spin currents are restricted to be along a certain direction due to the symmetry of the material allowing only for efficient in‐plane magnetic switching. Unconventional spin–orbit torques arising from novel spin current polarizations, however, have the potential to switch other magnetization orientations such as perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, which is desired for higher density spintronic‐based memory devices. Here, it is demonstrated that low crystalline symmetry is not required for unconventional spin–orbit torques and can be generated in a nonmagnetic high symmetry material, iridium dioxide (IrO2), using epitaxial design. It is shown that by reducing the relative crystalline symmetry with respect to the growth direction large unconventional spin currents can be generated and hence spin–orbit torques. Furthermore, the spin polarizations detected in (001), (110), and (111) oriented IrO2 thin films are compared to show which crystal symmetries restrict unconventional spin transport. Understanding and tuning unconventional spin transport generation in high symmetry materials can provide a new route towards energy‐efficient magnetic switching in spintronic devices.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Magnetic properties of thin films · ZnO doping and properties · Advanced Memory and Neural Computing

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Department of Materials Science and Engineering University of Wisconsin‐Madison Madison WI 53706 USA

Department of Physics and Astronomy & Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience University of Nebraska Lincoln NE 68588 USA

Department of Materials Science and Engineering Pohang University of Science and Technology Pohang Gyeongbuk 37673 Republic of Korea

Cornell University Ithaca NY 14853 USA

X‐Ray Science Division Argonne National Laboratory Argonne IL 60439 USA

School of Physical Sciences Dublin City University Dublin 9 Ireland

Center for Van der Waals Quantum Solids Institute for Basic Science (IBS) Pohang 37673 Republic of Korea

Semiconductor Engineering Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) Pohang 37673 Republic of Korea

Kavli Institute at Cornell for Nanoscale Science Ithaca NY 14853 USA

Department of Physics University of Wisconsin‐Madison Madison WI 53706 USA

School of Integrated Circuits and Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology (BNRist) Tsinghua University Beijing 100084 China

Funding

U.S. Department of Energy · Office of Science · Basic Energy Sciences · National Science Foundation · Pohang University of Science and Technology · National Research Foundation of Korea

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