Spin-transfer torque and spin-polarization in topological-insulator/ferromagnet vertical heterostructures

Abstract

We predict an unconventional spin-transfer torque (STT) acting on the magnetization of a free ferromagnetic (F) layer within N/TI/F vertical heterostructures which originates from strong spin-orbit coupling (SOC) on the surface of a three-dimensional topological insulator (TI), as well as from charge current becoming spin-polarized in the direction of transport as it flows from the normal metal (N) across the bulk of the TI slab. Unlike conventional STT in symmetric F'/I/F magnetic tunnel junctions, where only the in-plane STT component is non-zero in the linear response, both the in-plane and perpendicular torque are sizable in N/TI/F junctions while not requiring fixed F' layer as spin-polarizer which is advantageous for spintronic applications. Using the nonequilibrium Born-Oppenheimer treatment of interaction between fast conduction electrons and slow magnetization, we derive a general Keldysh Green function-based STT formula which makes it possible to analyze torque in the presence of SOC either in the bulk or at the interface of the free F layer.

5 pages, 3 figures, PDFLaTeX

References in corpus (30)

• Topological Insulators
• Magnetic switching by spin torque from the spin Hall effect
• Spin Transfer Torques
• Spintronics and Pseudospintronics in Graphene and Topological Insulators
• Model Hamiltonian for Topological Insulators
• Anatomy of Spin-Transfer Torque
• Strong surface scattering in ultrahigh mobility Bi2Se3 topological insulator crystals
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• Scattering Theory of Charge-Current Induced Magnetization Dynamics
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• Current-induced switching in transport through anisotropic magnetic molecules
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Cited by in corpus (38)

• Quantum Spin Hall Effect and Topological Field Effect Transistor in Two-Dimensional Transition Metal Dichalcogenides
• Current-induced spin-orbit torques in ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic systems
• Spin Transfer Torque Generated by the Topological Insulator Bi_2Se_3
• Interface-Induced Phenomena in Magnetism
• Unidirectional spin Hall magnetoresistance in ferromagnet/normal metal bilayers
• Tailoring Exchange Couplings in Magnetic Topological Insulator/Antiferromagnet Heterostructures
• Spin-Polarized Surface Resonances Accompanying Topological Surface State Formation
• Mapping the chemical potential dependence of current-induced spin polarization in a topological insulator
• Switching of Charge-Current-Induced Spin Polarization in the Topological Insulator BiSbTeSe2
• Magnetic textures and dynamics in magnetic Weyl semimetals
• Spintronics and spincaloritronics in topological insulators
• Nonequilibrium spin texture within a thin layer below the surface of current-carrying topological insulator Bi${}_2$Se${}_3$: A first-principles quantum transport study
• Magnetic proximity effect at Bi${}_2$Se${}_3$/EuS interface with broken inversion symmetry
• Magnetic control of spin-orbit fields: a first-principles study of Fe/GaAs junctions
• Coherent control of optical injection of spin and currents in topological insulators
• Dirac-Electrons-Mediated Magnetic Proximity Effect in Topological Insulator / Magnetic Insulator Heterostructures
• Probing topological transitions in HgTe/CdTe quantum wells by magneto-optical measurements
• Spin diffusion and magnetoresistance in ferromagnet/topological-insulator junctions
• Electrical control of magnetization in S/F/S junctions on a 3D topological insulator
• Hybridization-induced interface states in a topological insulator-magnetic metal heterostructure
• How to construct the proper gauge-invariant density matrix in steady-state nonequilibrium: Applications to spin-transfer and spin-orbit torques
• Spin Transfer Torque and Electric Current in Helical Edge States in Quantum Spin Hall Devices
• Magnetization reversal in S/F/S Josephson junctions on a 3D topological insulator
• Topological nature of the proper spin current and the spin-Hall torque
• Fulde-Ferrell States in Inverse Proximity Coupled Magnetically-Doped Topological Heterostructures
• Electrical response of S-F-TI-S junctions on magnetic texture dynamics
• Spin torque and persistent currents caused by percolation of topological surface states
• Spin and charge transport in topological nodal-line semimetals
• Current-induced switching of magnetic molecules on topological insulator surfaces
• Quantum anomalous Hall effect with field-tunable Chern number near Z2 topological critical point
• Spin Transport and Accumulation in 2D Weyl Fermion System
• Shot noise of spin current and spin transfer torque
• Spin-torque resonance due to diffusive dynamics at a surface of topological insulator
• Proximity-induced zero-energy states indistinguishable from topological edge states
• Strong Spin-Orbit Torque effect on magnetic defects due to topological surface state electrons in Bi${}_2$Te${}_3$
• Non-Equilibrium Green's Function based Circuit Models for Coherent Spin Devices
• Quantum transport phenomena induced by time-dependent fields
• Facilitating domain wall injection in magnetic nanowires by electrical means