Robust spin transfer torque in antiferromagnetic tunnel junctions

Abstract

We theoretically study the current-induced spin torque in antiferromagnetic tunnel junctions, composed of two semi-infinite antiferromagnetic layers separated by a tunnel barrier, in both clean and disordered regimes. We find that the torque enabling the electrical manipulation of the Néel antiferromagnetic order parameter is out of plane $\sim \mathbf{n}\times \mathbf{p}$, while the torque competing with the antiferromagnetic exchange is in-plane $\sim \mathbf{n}\times (\mathbf{p}\times \mathbf{n})$. Here, $\mathbf{p}$ and $\mathbf{n}$ are the Néel order parameter direction of the reference and free layers, respectively. Their bias dependence shows similar behavior as in ferromagnetic tunnel junctions, the in-plane torque being mostly linear in bias while the out-of-plane torque is quadratic. Most importantly, we find that the spin transfer torque in antiferromagnetic tunnel junctions is much more robust against disorder than in antiferromagnetic metallic spin-valves due to the tunneling nature of spin transport.

7 pages, 7 figures

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• Antiferromagnetic Tunnel Junctions for Spintronics
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• Unidirectional Magnetoresistance in Antiferromagnet/Heavy-metal bilayers
• Spin-neutral currents for spintronics
• Local density of states as a probe for tunneling magnetoresistance effect: application to ferrimagnetic tunnel junctions
• Topological charge and spin Hall effects due to skyrmions in canted antiferromagnets
• Spin transfer torques and spin-dependent transport in a metallic F/AF/N tunneling junction
• Spin-transport, spin-torque and memory in antiferromagnetic devices: Part of a collection of reviews on antiferromagnetic spintronics
• Approaches to tunnel magnetoresistance effect with antiferromagnets
• Skyrmion-deriven topological spin and charge Hall effects in diffusive antiferromagnetic thin films