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First-principles study on the new eightfold magnetic anisotropy in a two-dimensional oxide

ORAL

Abstract

Engineering magnetic anisotropy in two-dimensional systems has enormous scientific and technological implications. The uniaxial anisotropy universally exhibited by two-dimensional magnets has only two stable spin directions, demanding 180° spin switching between states. We demonstrate a previously unobserved eightfold anisotropy in magnetic SrRuO3 monolayers by inducing a spin reorientation in (SrRuO3)1/(SrTiO3)N superlattices, in which the magnetic easy axis of Ru spins is transformed from uniaxial 〈001〉 direction (N < 3) to eightfold 〈111〉 directions (N ≥ 3). This eightfold anisotropy enables 71° and 109° spin switching in SrRuO3 monolayers, analogous to 71° and 109° polarization switching in ferroelectric BiFeO3. Our first-principle calculations reveal that increasing the SrTiO3 layer thickness induces an emergent correlation-driven orbital ordering, tuning spin-orbit interactions and reorienting the SrRuO3 monolayer easy axis. Our work demonstrates that correlation effects can be exploited to substantially change spin-orbit interactions, stabilizing unprecedented properties in two-dimensional magnets and opening rich opportunities for low-power, multistate device applications.

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Presenters

  • Hanghui Chen

    NYU-ECNU Institute of Physics, NYU Shanghai, Department of Physics, New York University, NYU Shanghai, New York University Shanghai, NYU-ECNU Institute of Physics, New York University Shanghai

Authors

  • Hanghui Chen

    NYU-ECNU Institute of Physics, NYU Shanghai, Department of Physics, New York University, NYU Shanghai, New York University Shanghai, NYU-ECNU Institute of Physics, New York University Shanghai

  • Zhangzhang Cui

    National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China

  • Alexander Grutter

    National Institute of Standards and Technology, Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST Center for Neutron Research, NIST, NIST Gaithersburg

  • Hua Zhou

    X-ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source,, Argonne National Laboratory, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL, 60439, USA, Argonne National Laboratory, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Lab, Advanced Photon Source

  • Hui Cao

    National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China

  • Yongqi Dong

    National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China

  • Dustin Gilbert

    University of Tennessee, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee, Material Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

  • Jingyuan Wang

    Department of Physics, University of California at Irvine

  • Yi-Sheng Liu

    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Jiaji Ma

    NYU-ECNU Institute of Physics, NYU Shanghai, New York University Shanghai

  • Zhenpeng Hu

    School of Physics, Nankai University, Nankai University

  • Jinghua Guo

    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Jing Xia

    University of California Irvine, Department of Physics, University of California at Irvine

  • Brian James Kirby

    NCNR, National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST Center for Neutron Research, NIST

  • Padraic Shafer

    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Elke Arenholz

    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab, Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Xiaofang Zhai

    School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, ShanghaiTech University

  • Yalin Lu

    National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China