Current-induced in-plane magnetization switching in biaxial ferrimagnetic insulator

Abstract

Ferrimagnetic insulators (FiMI) have been intensively used in microwave and magneto-optical devices as well as spin caloritronics, where their magnetization direction plays a fundamental role on the device performance. The magnetization is generally switched by applying external magnetic fields. Here we investigate current-induced spin-orbit torque (SOT) switching of the magnetization in Y3Fe5O12 (YIG)/Pt bilayers with in-plane magnetic anisotropy, where the switching is detected by spin Hall magnetoresistance. Reversible switching is found at room temperature for a threshold current density of 10^7 A cm^-2. The YIG sublattices with antiparallel and unequal magnetic moments are aligned parallel or antiparallel to the direction of current pulses, which is consistent to the Neel order switching in antiferromagnetic system. It is proposed that such a switching behavior may be triggered by the antidamping-torque acting on the two antiparallel sublattices of FiMI. Our finding not only broadens the magnetization switching by electrical means and promotes the understanding of magnetization switching, but also paves the way for all-electrically modulated microwave devices and spin caloritronics with low power consumption.

arXiv comment23 pages, 4 figures, accepted by Phys. Rev. Appl

References in corpus (17)

• Spin torque switching with the giant spin Hall effect of tantalum
• Magnetic switching by spin torque from the spin Hall effect
• Current-driven dynamics of chiral ferromagnetic domain walls
• Current-induced spin-orbit torques in ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic systems
• Electrical switching of an antiferromagnet
• Spin Hall Magnetoresistance Induced by a Non-Equilibrium Proximity Effect
• Theory of spin Hall magnetoresistance
• Comparative Measurements of Inverse Spin Hall and Magnetoresistance in YIG|Pt and YIG|Ta
• Quantitative study of the spin Hall magnetoresistance in ferromagnetic insulator/normal metal hybrids
• Spin Pumping in Electrodynamically Coupled Magnon-Photon Systems
• Unidirectional spin Hall magnetoresistance in ferromagnet/normal metal bilayers
• Magnetic oscillations driven by the spin Hall effect in 3-terminal magnetic tunnel junction devices
• Antidamping torque-induced switching in biaxial antiferromagnetic insulators
• Mechanism of Néel order switching in antiferromagnetic thin films revealed by magnetotransport and direct imaging
• Magnon Valve Effect Between Two Magnetic Insulators
• Electrical Switching of Tristate Antiferromagnetic Néel Order in $\alpha$-Fe${}_2$O${}_3$ Epitaxial Films
• Quantitative Study on Current-Induced Effect in an Antiferromagnet Insulator/Pt Bilayer Film