Observation of current-induced switching in non-collinear antiferromagnetic IrMn${}_3$ by differential voltage measurements

Abstract

There is accelerating interest in developing memory devices using antiferromagnetic (AFM) materials, motivated by the possibility for electrically controlling AFM order via spin-orbit torques, and its read-out via magnetoresistive effects. Recent studies have shown, however, that high current densities create non-magnetic contributions to resistive switching signals in AFM/heavy metal (AFM/HM) bilayers, complicating their interpretation. Here we introduce an experimental protocol to unambiguously distinguish current-induced magnetic and nonmagnetic switching signals in AFM/HM structures, and demonstrate it in IrMn${}_3$/Pt devices. A six-terminal double-cross device is constructed, with an IrMn${}_3$ pillar placed on one cross. The differential voltage is measured between the two crosses with and without IrMn${}_3$ after each switching attempt. For a wide range of current densities, reversible switching is observed only when write currents pass through the cross with the IrMn${}_3$ pillar, eliminating any possibility of non-magnetic switching artifacts. Micromagnetic simulations support our findings, indicating a complex domain-mediated switching process.

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Cited by in corpus (11)

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• Magnetic sensitivity distribution of Hall devices in antiferromagnetic switching experiments
• Identifiying the domain wall spin structure in current-induced switching of antiferromagnetic NiO/Pt
• Analytical dispersion relation for forward volume spin waves in ferrimagnets near the angular momentum compensation condition
• Picosecond transfer from short-term to long-term memory in analog antiferromagnetic memory device
• Current-Driven Domain Wall Motion in Curved Ferrimagnetic Strips Above and Below the Angular Momentum Compensation
• Anomalous Hall effect and rich magnetic phase diagram of Mn${}_{100-x}$Rh${}_x$ epitaxial films
• Unraveling oscillations at ferro(para)magnetic and non-collinear antiferromagnetic interfaces