Electrical current switching of the noncollinear antiferromagnet Mn${}_3$GaN

Abstract

We report electrical current switching of noncollinear antiferromagnetic (AFM) Mn${}_3$GaN/Pt bilayers at room temperature. The Hall resistance of these bilayers can be manipulated by applying a pulse current of $1.5\times 10^6$~A/cm${}^2$, whereas no significant change is observed up to $\sim 10^8$~A/cm${}^2$ in Mn${}_3$GaN single films, indicating that the Pt layer plays an important role. In comparison with ferrimagnetic Mn${}_3$GaN/Pt bilayers, a lower electrical current switching of noncollinear AFM Mn${}_3$GaN is demonstrated, with a critical current density two orders of magnitude smaller. Our results highlight that a combination of a noncollinear AFM antiperovskite nitride and a spin-torque technique is a good platform of AFM spintronics.

The following article has been accepted by Applied Physics Letter