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Deterministic switching of a perpendicularly polarized magnet using unconventional spin-orbit torques in WTe<sub>2</sub>

ORAL

Abstract

Spin-orbit torque (SOT) driven deterministic control of the magnetization state of a magnet with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy is key to next generation spintronic applications including non-volatile, ultrafast, and energy efficient data storage devices1-3. But field-free deterministic switching of perpendicular magnetization remains a challenge because it requires an out-of-plane anti-damping torque, which is not allowed in conventional spin source materials such as heavy metals1-3 and topological insulators4 due to system symmetry. The exploitation of low-crystal symmetries in emergent quantum materials offers a unique approach to achieve spin-orbit torque with unconventional form5,6. Here, we report the first experimental realization of field-free deterministic magnetic switching of a perpendicularly polarized van der Waals (vdW) magnet employing an out-of-plane anti-damping SOT generated in layered WTe2 which is a low-crystal symmetry quantum material.

1. I. M. Miron et al., Nature 476, 189 (2011)
2. Liu et al., Science 336, 555 (2012)
3. L. Liu et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 096602 (2012)
4. A. R. Mellnik et al., Nature 511, 449 (2014)
5. D. MacNeill et al., Nat. Phys. 13, 300 (2017)
6. F. Xue et al., Phys. Rev. B 102, 01440 (2020)

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Presenters

  • I hsuan Kao

    Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University

Authors

  • I hsuan Kao

    Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University

  • Ryan Muzzio

    Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University

  • Hantao Zhang

    Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Riverside, University of California, Riverside, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Riverside

  • Menglin Zhu

    Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Ohio State University, Material Science and Engineering, Ohio State University

  • Jacob Giovanni Gobbo

    Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University

  • Daniel Weber

    Department of Chemistry, The Ohio State University

  • Rahul Rao

    Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Air Force Research Lab - WPAFB

  • Jiahan Li

    Tim Taylor Department of Chemical Engineering, Kansas State University

  • James Edgar

    Chemical Engineering, Kansas State University, Kansas State University, Tim Taylor Department of Chemical Engineering, Kansas State University

  • Joshua Goldberger

    The Ohio State University, Department of Chemistry, The Ohio State University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ohio State Univ - Columbus

  • Jiaqiang Yan

    Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Lab, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, University of Tennessee, Oak Ridge National Lab, Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Materials Science and Technology, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Materials Science and Technology Division

  • David George Mandrus

    Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Labratory, Materials Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee, University of Tennessee, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA, Oakridge National Laboratory, Materials Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, University of Tennessee - Knoxville, Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Materials Science and Technology, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Materials Science and Technology Division, Department of Materials Science, The University of Tennessee, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

  • Jinwoo Hwang

    Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Ohio State University, Material Science and Engineering, Ohio State University

  • Ran Cheng

    University of California, Riverside, Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Riverside, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Riverside, University of California - Riverside

  • Jyoti Kotach

    Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University

  • Simranjeet Singh

    Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University