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Current-induced control of magnetization in ferromagnets using spin-orbit torque (SOT) has drawn attention as a new mechanism for fast and energy efficient magnetic memory devices. Energy-efficient spintronic devices require a spin-current source with a large SOT efficiency (ξ) and electrical conductivity (σ), and an efficient spin injection across a transparent interface. Herein, single crystals of the van der Waals (vdW) topological semimetal WTe and vdW ferromagnet Fe GeTe are used to satisfy the requirements in their all-vdW-heterostructure with an atomically sharp interface. The results exhibit values of ξ ≈ 4.6 and σ ≈ 2.25 × 10 Ω m for WTe . Moreover, the significantly reduced switching current density of 3.90 × 10 A cm at 150 K is obtained, which is an order of magnitude smaller than those of conventional heavy-metal/ferromagnet thin films. These findings highlight that engineering vdW-type topological materials and magnets offers a promising route to energy-efficient magnetization control in SOT-based spintronics.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adma.202101730 | DOI Listing |
Adv Mater
September 2025
College of Physics, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China.
The 180° switching of the perpendicular Néel vector induced by the spin-orbit torque (SOT) presents significant potential for ultradense and ultrafast antiferromagnetic SOT-magnetoresistive random-access memory. However, its experimental realization remains a topic of intense debate. Here, unequivocal evidence is provided for the SOT-induced 180° switching of the perpendicular Néel vector in collinear antiferromagnetic CrO in a Pt/CrO/Co trilayer structure.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFACS Nano
September 2025
State Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Quantum Physics and Department of Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
Functional magnetic multilayers are particularly interesting for enabling many emerging spintronic physics, including spin-orbit torque (SOT), magnetic proximity effect (MPE), and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA), among many others. A comprehension of these spintronic phenomena is vital for the development of advanced spintronic materials and devices. Here, we investigate the interplay between the MPE and the current-induced SOT switching in the perpendicularly magnetized Pt/[Co/Pd] multilayers (with being the number of repetitions).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAdv Mater
August 2025
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan.
Antiferromagnets (AFMs) offer exceptional promise for next-generation spintronic devices due to their ultrafast dynamics and resilience to external perturbations. However, while single-crystalline AFMs have been capable of being electrically manipulated, controlling polycrystalline AFM spins remains a major challenge due to their aperiodic nature. In this work, a Néel tensor is introduced as a rank-two symmetric tensor that statistically captures the spin correlations in polycrystalline AFMs, a fundamental departure from the conventional Néel vector approach.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Adv
August 2025
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
Writing magnetic bits through spin-orbit torque (SOT) switching is promising for fast and efficient magnetic random-access memory devices. While SOT switching of out-of-plane (OOP) magnetized states requires lateral symmetry breaking, in-plane (IP) magnetized states suffer from low storage density. Here, we demonstrate a field-free switching scheme using a 5-nanometer europium iron garnet film grown with a (110) orientation that shows a spin reorientation transition from OOP to IP above room temperature.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNat Commun
August 2025
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA.
Interplay between topological electrons and magnetic ordering enables efficient electrical control of magnetism. We extend the Kane-Mele model to include the exchange coupling to a collinear antiferromagnetic (AFM) order, which allows the system to exhibit the quantum anomalous Hall and quantum spin Hall effects in the absence of a net magnetization. These topological phases support a staggered Edelstein effect through which an applied electric field can generate opposite non-equilibrium spins on the two AFM sublattices, realizing the Néel-type spin-orbit torque (NSOT).
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