Impact of inherent energy barrier on spin-orbit torques in magnetic-metal/semimetal heterojunctions
Abstract Spintronic devices are based on heterojunctions of two materials with different magnetic and electronic properties. Although an energy barrier is naturally formed even at the interface of metallic heterojunctions, its impact on spin transport has been overlooked. Here, using diffusive spin...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-40876-9 |
| _version_ | 1797558282678697984 |
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| author | Tenghua Gao Alireza Qaiumzadeh Roberto E. Troncoso Satoshi Haku Hongyu An Hiroki Nakayama Yuya Tazaki Song Zhang Rong Tu Akio Asami Arne Brataas Kazuya Ando |
| author_facet | Tenghua Gao Alireza Qaiumzadeh Roberto E. Troncoso Satoshi Haku Hongyu An Hiroki Nakayama Yuya Tazaki Song Zhang Rong Tu Akio Asami Arne Brataas Kazuya Ando |
| author_sort | Tenghua Gao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Spintronic devices are based on heterojunctions of two materials with different magnetic and electronic properties. Although an energy barrier is naturally formed even at the interface of metallic heterojunctions, its impact on spin transport has been overlooked. Here, using diffusive spin Hall currents, we provide evidence that the inherent energy barrier governs the spin transport even in metallic systems. We find a sizable field-like torque, much larger than the damping-like counterpart, in Ni81Fe19/Bi0.1Sb0.9 bilayers. This is a distinct signature of barrier-mediated spin-orbit torques, which is consistent with our theory that predicts a strong modification of the spin mixing conductance induced by the energy barrier. Our results suggest that the spin mixing conductance and the corresponding spin-orbit torques are strongly altered by minimizing the work function difference in the heterostructure. These findings provide a new mechanism to control spin transport and spin torque phenomena by interfacial engineering of metallic heterostructures. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:28:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1705e02235e9422a937535786c6071fe |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:28:04Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj.art-1705e02235e9422a937535786c6071fe2023-11-20T10:05:56ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232023-08-011411910.1038/s41467-023-40876-9Impact of inherent energy barrier on spin-orbit torques in magnetic-metal/semimetal heterojunctionsTenghua Gao0Alireza Qaiumzadeh1Roberto E. Troncoso2Satoshi Haku3Hongyu An4Hiroki Nakayama5Yuya Tazaki6Song Zhang7Rong Tu8Akio Asami9Arne Brataas10Kazuya Ando11Keio Institute of Pure and Applied Science, Keio UniversityCenter for Quantum Spintronics, Department of Physics, Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyCenter for Quantum Spintronics, Department of Physics, Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Applied Physics and Physico-Informatics, Keio UniversityCollege of New Materials and New Energies, Shenzhen Technology UniversityDepartment of Applied Physics and Physico-Informatics, Keio UniversityDepartment of Applied Physics and Physico-Informatics, Keio UniversityState Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of TechnologyState Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of TechnologyDepartment of Applied Physics and Physico-Informatics, Keio UniversityCenter for Quantum Spintronics, Department of Physics, Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyKeio Institute of Pure and Applied Science, Keio UniversityAbstract Spintronic devices are based on heterojunctions of two materials with different magnetic and electronic properties. Although an energy barrier is naturally formed even at the interface of metallic heterojunctions, its impact on spin transport has been overlooked. Here, using diffusive spin Hall currents, we provide evidence that the inherent energy barrier governs the spin transport even in metallic systems. We find a sizable field-like torque, much larger than the damping-like counterpart, in Ni81Fe19/Bi0.1Sb0.9 bilayers. This is a distinct signature of barrier-mediated spin-orbit torques, which is consistent with our theory that predicts a strong modification of the spin mixing conductance induced by the energy barrier. Our results suggest that the spin mixing conductance and the corresponding spin-orbit torques are strongly altered by minimizing the work function difference in the heterostructure. These findings provide a new mechanism to control spin transport and spin torque phenomena by interfacial engineering of metallic heterostructures.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-40876-9 |
| spellingShingle | Tenghua Gao Alireza Qaiumzadeh Roberto E. Troncoso Satoshi Haku Hongyu An Hiroki Nakayama Yuya Tazaki Song Zhang Rong Tu Akio Asami Arne Brataas Kazuya Ando Impact of inherent energy barrier on spin-orbit torques in magnetic-metal/semimetal heterojunctions Nature Communications |
| title | Impact of inherent energy barrier on spin-orbit torques in magnetic-metal/semimetal heterojunctions |
| title_full | Impact of inherent energy barrier on spin-orbit torques in magnetic-metal/semimetal heterojunctions |
| title_fullStr | Impact of inherent energy barrier on spin-orbit torques in magnetic-metal/semimetal heterojunctions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of inherent energy barrier on spin-orbit torques in magnetic-metal/semimetal heterojunctions |
| title_short | Impact of inherent energy barrier on spin-orbit torques in magnetic-metal/semimetal heterojunctions |
| title_sort | impact of inherent energy barrier on spin orbit torques in magnetic metal semimetal heterojunctions |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-40876-9 |
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