Research

we report the field-free switching of the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy ferromagnet cobalt iron boron at room temperature using out-of-plane spin-polarized current generated by the Weyl semimetal tantalum iridium telluride (TaIrTe4). Bilinear magnetoelectric resistance and spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance measurements confirm the out-of-plane polarized spins, and the out-of-plane spin canting angle is estimated to be around 8°. The spin Hall conductivity of TaIrTe4 is estimated to be 5.44 × 104 × ћ/2e (Ω m)−1, which is almost one order of magnitude larger than that of tungsten ditelluride. Our results indicate that TaIrTe4 is an efficient spin current source for field-free spin–orbit torque applications.  

Field-free switching of perpendicular magnetization at room temperature using out-of-plane spins from TaIrTe4

• DOI: 10.1038/s41928-023-01039-2 

An electric field is an energy-efficient tool that can be leveraged to control spin-orbit torques (SOTs). Although the amount of current-induced spin accumulation in a heavy metal (HM)/ferromagnet (FM) heterostructure can be regulated to a certain degree using an electric field in various materials, the control of its direction has remained elusive so far. Here, we report that both the direction and amount of current-induced spin accumulation at the HM/FM interface can be dynamically controlled using an electric field in an oxide-capped SOT device. The applied electric field transports oxygen ions and modulates the HM/FM interfacial chemistry resulting in an interplay between the spin Hall and the interfacial torques which in turn facilitates a non-volatile and reversible control over the direction and magnitude of SOTs. 

Electric-field control of spin accumulation direction for spin-orbit torques

• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-08274-8

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