Quenching of an antiferromagnet into high resistivity states using electrical or ultrashort optical pulses

Abstract

Ultra-fast dynamics, insensitivity to external magnetic fields, or absence of magnetic stray fields are examples of properties that make antiferromagnets of potential use in the development of spintronic devices. Similar to their ferromagnetic counterparts, antiferromagnets can store information in the orientations of the collective magnetic order vector. However, also in analogy to ferromagnets, the readout magnetoresistivity signals in simple antiferromagnetic films have been weak and the extension of the electrical reorientation mechanism to optics has not been achieved. Here we report reversible and reproducible quenching of an antiferromagnetic CuMnAs film by either electrical or ultrashort optical pulses into nano-fragmented domain states. The resulting resistivity changes approach 20\% at room temperature, which is comparable to the giant magnetoresistance ratios in ferromagnetic multilayers. We also obtain a signal readout by optical reflectivity. The analog time-dependent switching and relaxation characteristics of our devices can mimic functionality of spiking neural network components.

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Cited by in corpus (18)

• Time-dependent multistate switching of topological antiferromagnetic order in Mn${}_3$Sn
• Nonlinear terahertz Néel spin-orbit torques in antiferromagnetic Mn${}_2$Au
• Current-driven writing process in antiferromagnetic Mn2Au for memory applications
• Atomically sharp domain walls in an antiferromagnet
• Defect-driven antiferromagnetic domain walls in CuMnAs films
• Ultrafast reorientation of the Néel vector in antiferromagnetic Dirac semimetals
• Hysteretic effects and magnetotransport of electrically switched CuMnAs
• Thermal Contribution in the Electrical Switching Experiments with Heavy Metal / Antiferromagnet Structures
• Topological energy release from collision of relativistic antiferromagnetic solitons
• Inertial domain wall characterization in layered multisublattice antiferromagnets
• Probing the Manipulation of Antiferromagnetic Order in CuMnAs Films Using Neutron Diffraction
• Competition between terahertz magnetoelectric and Néel spin-orbit torque driven spin dynamics in metallic antiferromagnets
• Thermally Stable Peltier Controlled Vacuum Chamber for Electrical Transport Measurements
• Temperature-dependent critical spin-orbit field for orthogonal switching in antiferromagnets
• Picosecond transfer from short-term to long-term memory in analog antiferromagnetic memory device
• Single crystal studies and electronic structure investigation of a room-temperature semiconductor NaMnAs
• Sub-nanosecond heat-based logic, writing and reset in an antiferromagnetic magnetoresistive memory
• Terahertz spin-orbit torque as a drive of spin dynamics in the insulating antiferromagnet Cr${}_2$O${}_3$