Transition Metal Dichalcogenide 1T${}^{\prime }$-MoTe${}_2$ Nanoscale Films as Spin Pumping Platforms

Abstract

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have emerged as a promising class of materials for spintronics, with the aim of promoting efficient spin-charge conversion (SCC) in TMD/ferromagnet (FM)-based devices. The MoTe${}_2$ semimetal with distorted orthorhombic crystal structure in the 1T${}^{\prime }$ phase has gathered particular attention due to its high spin-orbit coupling and reconfigurability as a type-II Weyl semimetal close to room temperature. Here, we report on the role of chemically grown 1T${}^{\prime }$-MoTe${}_2$ thin films in inducing SCC in 1T${}^{\prime }$-MoTe${}_2$/FM heterostructures as measured at room temperature. Ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) and electrically detected spin-pumping FMR measurements performed on 1T${}^{\prime }$-MoTe${}_2$/Co/Au and 1T${}^{\prime }$-MoTe${}_2$/Au/Co/Au heterostructures reveal a spin-mixing conductance value of up to $\sim 1.6\times 10^{20}{\mathrm{m}}^{-2}$ and a spin Hall angle of $1.7\%$. These findings position MoTe${}_2$ thin films as a competitive spin-charge conversion option compared to other functional materials (e.g., heavy metals, topological insulators), highlighting their potential for future applications in spintronic devices.