Electric-field control of spin-orbit torques in perpendicularly magnetized W/CoFeB/MgO films

Abstract

Controlling magnetism by electric fields offers a highly attractive perspective for designing future generations of energy-efficient information technologies. Here, we demonstrate that the magnitude of current-induced spin-orbit torques in thin perpendicularly magnetized CoFeB films can be tuned and even increased by electric field generated piezoelectric strain. Using theoretical calculations, we uncover that the subtle interplay of spin-orbit coupling, crystal symmetry, and orbital polarization is at the core of the observed strain dependence of spin-orbit torques. Our results open a path to integrating two energy efficient spin manipulation approaches, the electric field-induced strain and the current-induced magnetization switching, thereby enabling novel device concepts.

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• Magneto-gyrotropic effects in semiconductor quantum wells (review)
• Spin-orbit torque-driven magnetization switching and thermal effects studied in Ta\CoFeB\MgO nanowires
• Strain-mediated spin-orbit torque switching for magnetic memory
• Effective field analysis using the full angular spin-orbit torque magnetometry dependence
• Spin-orbit torques for current parallel and perpendicular to a domain wall
• Higher-dimensional Wannier interpolation for the modern theory of the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction: Application to Co-based trilayers
• Higher dimensional Wannier functions of multi-parameter Hamiltonians

Cited by in corpus (13)

• Roadmap of spin-orbit torques
• Electrical control of magnetism by electric field and current-induced torques
• Unveiling the mechanism of bulk spin-orbit torques within chemically disordered Fe${}_x$Pt${}_{1-x}$ single layers
• Spin-Orbit Torques in Transition Metal Dichalcogenide/Ferromagnet Heterostructures
• Identifying the origin of the non-monotonic thickness dependence of spin-orbit torques and interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction in a ferrimagnetic insulator heterostructure
• Voltage Controlled Spin-Orbit Torque Switching in W/CoFeB/MgO
• Non-volatile electric control of spin-orbit torques in an oxide two-dimensional electron gas
• Tuning spin-orbit torques across the phase transition in VO${}_2$/NiFe heterostructure
• Optimal protocol for spin-orbit torque switching of a perpendicular nanomagnet
• Level attraction and exceptional points in a resonant spin-orbit torque system
• Vertically Graded Fe-Ni Alloys with Low Damping and a Sizeable Spin-Orbit Torque
• Parametric resonance of spin waves in ferromagnetic nanowires tuned by spin Hall torque
• Numerical analysis of voltage-controlled magnetization switching operation in magnetic-topological-insulator-based devices