Spin-orbit torques and magnetotransport properties of $\alpha$-Sn and $\beta$-Sn heterostructures

Abstract

Topological insulators have emerged as an important material class for efficient spin-charge interconversion. Most topological insulators considered to date are binary or ternary compounds, with the exception of $\alpha$-Sn. Here we report a comprehensive characterization of the growth, magnetotransport properties, and current-induced spin-orbit torques of $\alpha$-Sn and $\beta$-Sn-based ferromagnetic heterostructures. We show that $\alpha$-Sn grown with a Bi surfactant on CdTe(001) promotes large spin-orbit torques in a ferromagnetic FeCo layer at room temperature, comparable to Pt, whereas $\alpha$-Sn grown without Bi surfactant and the non-topological phase, $\beta$-Sn, induce lower torques. The dampinglike and fieldlike spin-orbit torque efficiency in $\alpha$-Sn with Bi are 0.12 and 0.18, respectively. Further, we show that $\alpha$-Sn grown with and without Bi presents a spin Hall-like magnetoresistance comparable to that found in heavy metal/ferromagnet bilayers. Our work demonstrates direct and efficient charge-to-spin conversion in $\alpha$-Sn ferromagnetic heterostructures, showing that $\alpha$-Sn is a promising material for current-induced magnetization control in spintronic devices.

References in corpus (9)

• Topological Insulators with Inversion Symmetry
• Theory of spin Hall magnetoresistance
• Observation of inverse spin Hall effect in bismuth selenide
• Giant anisotropy of Gilbert damping in epitaxial CoFe films
• Control of spin-orbit torques by interface engineering in topological insulator heterostructures
• Efficient Charge-Spin Conversion and Magnetization Switching though Rashba Effect at Topological Insulator/Ag Interface
• Intrinsic magnetoresistance in metal films on ferromagnetic insulators
• Effects of transition-metal spacers on the spin-orbit torques, spin Hall magnetoresistance, and magnetic anisotropy of Pt/Co bilayers
• Topological Surface States Originated Spin-Orbit Torques in Bi2Se3

Cited by in corpus (7)

• Efficient spin current source using a half-Heusler alloy topological semimetal with Back-End-of-Line compatibility
• Tailoring the switching efficiency of magnetic tunnel junctions by the fieldlike spin-orbit torque
• Spin-orbit torques and spin Hall magnetoresistance generated by twin-free and amorphous Bi0.9Sb0.1 topological insulator films
• Estimation of spin-orbit torques in the presence of current-induced magnon creation and annihilation
• 3D Topological Semimetal Phases of Strained $\alpha$-Sn on Insulating Substrate
• Leveraging symmetry for an accurate spin-orbit torques characterization in ferrimagnetic insulators
• Charge-to-spin conversion in epitaxial and polycrystalline Bi and Bi/Ag layers