Non-local field-like spin-orbit torques in Rashba systems: an ab-initio study of Ag${}_2$Bi/Ag/Fe film

Abstract

We investigate from first principles the field-like spin-orbit torques (SOTs) in a Ag${}_2$Bi-terminated Ag(111) film grown on ferromagnetic Fe(110). We find that a large part of the SOT arises from the spin-orbit interaction (SOI) in the Ag${}_2$Bi layer far away from the Fe layers. These results clearly hint at a long range spin transfer in the direction perpendicular to the film that does not originate in the spin Hall effect. In order to bring evidence of the non-local character of the computed SOT, we show that the torque acting on the Fe layers can be engineered by the introduction of Bi vacancies in the Ag${}_2$Bi layer. Overall, we find a drastic dependence of the SOT on the disorder type, which we explain by a complex interplay of different contributions to the SOT in the Brillouin zone.

References in corpus (3)

• Spin relaxation and spin Hall transport in 5d transition-metal ultrathin films
• Fermi surfaces, spin-mixing parameter, and colossal anisotropy of spin relaxation in transition metals from ab initio theory
• Spin-orbit torques and spin accumulation in FePt/Pt and Co/Cu thin films from first principles: the role of impurities

Cited by in corpus (1)

• Harnessing non-local orbital-to-spin conversion of interfacial orbital currents for efficient spin-orbit torques