Néel vector switching in enhanced-<i>T</i>_N magnetoelectric thin films

Controlling magnetism by electrical means is a key challenge in the field of spintronics and essential for energy efficient devices in computing. Voltage-controlled switching of magnetization is manifested through boundary magnetization in Cr₂O₃ and promises non-volatile spintronic memory and logic devices. In pure Cr₂O₃, switching of the state variable takes place through magnetoelectric reversal of the Néel vector but the operation is limited to T< 307 K. In contrast, in B-doped Cr₂O₃, toggling of antiferromagnetic states is demonstrated in zero magnetic field between 300 and 400K. Various mechanisms including concentration dependent T_N-enhancement, voltage-controlled anisotropy, spin-canting, and a Néel spin orbit torque are simultaneously activated.Our results demonstrate that B-doping turns magnetoelectric Cr₂O₃ into a high-T_N, multi-functional material with electrically switchable Néel vector enabling CMOS compatible ultra-low power antiferromagnetic spintronics which operates in zero magnetic field.