垂直自由层倾斜极化层自旋阀结构中的磁矩翻转和进动

在理论上研究了垂直自由层和倾斜极化层自旋阀结构中自旋转移矩驱动的磁矩翻转和进动.通过线性展开包括自旋转移矩项的Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert方程并使用稳定性分析方法,得到了包括准平行稳定态、准反平行稳定态、伸出膜面进动态以及双稳态的磁性状态相图.发现通过调节电流密度和外磁场的大小可以实现磁矩从稳定态到进动态之间的转化以及在两个稳定态之间的翻转.翻转电流随外磁场的增加而增加,并且受自旋极化方向的影响.当自旋极化方向和自由层易磁化轴方向平行时,翻转电流最小;当自旋极化方向和自由层易磁化轴方向垂直时,翻转电流最大.通过数值求解微分方程,给出了不同磁性状态磁矩随时间的演化轨迹并验证了相图的正确性.     

Co/Ni多层膜垂直磁各向异性的研究

采用直流磁控溅射法在玻璃基片上制备了Pt底层的Co/Ni多层膜样品, 对影响样品垂直磁各向异性的各因素进行了调制, 通过样品的反常霍尔效应系统的研究了Co/Ni多层膜的垂直磁各向异性. 结果表明, 多层膜中各层的厚度及周期数对样品的反常霍尔效应和磁性有重要的影响. 通过对多层膜各个参数的调制优化, 最终获得了具有良好的垂直磁各向异性的Co/Ni多层膜最佳样品Pt(2.0)/Co(0.2)/Ni(0.4)/Co(0.2)/Pt(2.0), 经计算, 该样品的各向异性常数K_eff 达到了3.6×10⁵ J/m³, 说明样品具备良好的垂直磁各向异性. 最佳样品磁性层厚度仅为0.8 nm, 样品总厚度在5 nm以内, 可更为深入的研究其与元件的集成性.     

用外磁场控制电流感应磁化翻转效应中的临界电流方法

应用基于磁动力学方程的宏观唯象模型,研究了弱外磁场下纳米尺度赝自旋阀结构的电流感应磁化翻转效应.在统一考虑铁磁/非磁界面的自旋相关散射以及铁磁层中的自旋积累和弛豫过程后,给出了赝自旋阀结构在弱外磁场下的磁化翻转条件和临界电流.对该效应的数值计算解释了弱外磁场下赝自旋阀结构的电阻-电流回线的偏移,并给出了用外磁场控制电流感应磁化翻转效应中的临界电流方法. 关键词： 电流感应磁化翻转 外磁场 临界电流 赝自旋阀     

自旋电子学材料、物理和器件设计原理的研究进展

文章介绍了作者所在实验室在巨磁电阻(GMR)、隧穿磁电阻(TMR)、庞磁电阻(CMR)和反铁磁钉扎薄膜材料以及单晶金属氧化物、高自旋极化率材料、P-N异质结和纳米环磁随机存储器原理型演示器件设计等研究方面取得的一些重要研究成果和进展.例如:在Al-O势垒磁性隧道结材料体系里,获得室温磁电阻超过80%的国际最好结果;获得两种高性能层状反铁磁钉扎材料体系;发现具有大的电致电阻效应的CMR薄膜材料,并可期望用于电流直接进行磁信息写和读操作的磁存储介质;发现双势垒磁性隧道结中的量子阱态共振隧穿和磁电阻振荡效应,以及纳米器件体系中自旋翻转长度的观测新方法,可用于新型自旋电子学材料及相关器件的人工辅助设计;利用电子自旋共振谱探测和研究了金属氧化物的微观自旋结构和各向异性;在[CoFe/Pt]n磁性金属多层膜中,观测到超高灵敏度的反常霍尔效应;利用纳米环状磁性隧道结作为存储单元,研制出一种新型纳米环磁随机存储器MRAM原理型演示器件.     

热效应在电流驱动反铁磁/铁磁交换偏置场翻转中的显著作用

电流驱动的面内交换偏置场翻转具有无需外磁场辅助、抗磁场干扰以及强磁各向异性等优势,受到广泛关注.然而,在纳米级厚度薄膜系统中,反铁磁/铁磁异质结的阻塞温度较低,同时电流脉冲会产生大量的焦耳热,理论上电流热效应对于交换偏置场翻转有着显著作用,但是其作用机制缺乏相关研究和验证.我们制备了一系列反铁磁IrMn厚度不同的Pt/IrMn/Py异质结,系统性地研究了热效应在电流翻转交换偏置场中的作用机制.结果表明,在毫秒级电流脉冲下,焦耳热能够使得器件升温至阻塞温度以上,解除反铁磁/铁磁界面的交换耦合,同时电流产生的奥斯特场和自旋轨道矩能够翻转铁磁磁矩,在降温过程中完成交换偏置场的翻转.并且,在翻转过程中,反铁磁/铁磁异质结的各向异性磁阻曲线呈现与温度相关的两步磁化翻转现象,分析表明该现象起源于交换偏置耦合与铁磁直接交换作用之间的竞争关系.本文的研究结果厘清了热效应在电流驱动交换偏置场翻转过程中的重要作用,有助于推动基于电控交换偏置场的自旋电子器件发展.     

自旋轨道矩协助自旋转移矩驱动磁化强度翻转

以磁隧道结/重金属层组成的三端口磁隧道结为理论模型,通过对包含自旋转移矩和自旋轨道矩的Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert (LLG)方程做线性化稳定性分析,研究了自旋轨道矩协助自旋转移矩驱动的磁化强度翻转.发现在自旋轨道矩协助下,磁矩的翻转时间极大减小,翻转时间随自旋轨道矩电流密度的增大而减小,且自旋转移矩和自旋轨道矩的结合可实现零磁场的磁化翻转.另外,相比自旋轨道矩的类阻尼项,类场项在磁化强度的翻转中起着主导作用,且自旋轨道矩类场项的出现也可以减小磁化强度的翻转时间,磁化强度翻转时间随自旋轨道矩类场项强度的增大而减小.     

用BiSePt合金提高自旋轨道转矩效率

自旋轨道转矩器件实现快速高效的磁性操作,需要提供自旋流的强自旋轨道耦合层具有高的电荷-自旋密度转换效率,以及低的电阻率.本文采用磁控溅射方法生长具有面内磁性的BiSePt合金/Co异质结构,对比BiSePt合金采用共溅射及交替溅射两种生长方式,研究了不同配比下的自旋轨道转矩效率(SOT效率)与合金电阻率. Pt掺杂提高了合金层的金属性,但是逐渐破坏Bi₂Se₃非晶表面的拓扑序,随着Pt组分的增加,两种竞争的机制使得合金层的自旋霍尔电导率随浓度配比有非单调变化,并且在Bi₂Se₃组分为67%的配比处达到了优值.相比共溅射方式,交替溅射方式生长合金层的电导率及自旋霍尔角较小,这归因于界面散射的增强及Pt对自旋流的过滤效应.相比于传统的纯重金属Pt和Ta等,以及拓扑绝缘体Bi₂Se₃等材料,我们的BiSePt合金实现了与工业匹配的生长条件,较高的SOT效率,以及适中的电阻率,对于SOT器件的实际应用很有意义.     

自旋阀中的各向异性磁电阻效应

采用平面霍尔效应测量方法，对Ta(8nm)/NiFe(7nm)/Cu(24nm)/NiFe(44nm)/FeMn(14nm)/Ta(6nm)自旋阀多层膜进行了研究.结果表明，在样品中存在着自由层和被钉扎层之间的各向异性磁电阻的“混合”效应.与通常所采用的磁电阻测量方法相结合，平面霍尔效应的测 量可以给出自旋阀中各向异性磁电阻以及自由层和被钉扎层的磁矩随外场变化的更多信息. 关键词： 自旋阀 各向异性磁电阻 平面霍尔效应     

自旋转移矩效应激发的非线性磁化动力学

本文基于宏观磁矩(macrospin)的Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert方程,模拟研究了磁性自旋阀结构中由垂直膜面流向的自旋极化电流所激发的磁化转动动力学特性.直流自旋极化电流借助自旋转移矩效应可驱动磁矩翻转或作周期性振荡,交流电可以激发出具有混沌行为的磁矩振荡.展示了磁矩振荡行为随电流强度变化而发生倍周期分岔、直至混沌振荡的行为规律. 关键词： 自旋转移矩效应 微磁模拟 磁性自旋阀 混沌     

具有倾斜极化层的自旋阀结构中磁翻转以及磁振荡模式的微磁模拟

基于自由层与钉扎层均为垂直磁各向异性的自旋阀结构,采用微磁学模拟与傅里叶分析相结合的技术,研究了极化层磁矩小角度倾斜情形下自由层磁矩的进动翻转特性.通过沿样品垂直膜面方向同时施加电流与磁场,观察到自由层磁矩垂直膜面方向分量的平均值随磁场的演化翻转曲线中出现了多个凹槽.模拟研究结果表明:在一定的电流范围内,凹槽出现的位置与电流大小无关;而在固定的应用电流下,凹槽出现的位置将会受到样品厚度的影响;在凹槽区域内,非一致进动模式、自旋驻波模式、局域自旋波模式等多种磁振荡模式被激发.通过傅里叶分析,得到了各种磁振荡模式的频谱,频谱中的频率分布体现出了倍频以及间谐波的频率特性.     

Probing the magnetization switching with in-plane magnetic anisotropy through field-modified magnetoresistance measurement

Effective probing current-induced magnetization switching is highly required in the study of emerging spin-orbit torque(SOT)effect.However,the measurement of in-plane magnetization switching typically relies on the giant/tunneling magnetoresistance measurement in a spin valve structure calling for complicated fabrication process,or the non-electric approach of Kerr imaging technique.Here,we present a reliable and convenient method to electrically probe the SOT-induced in-plane magnetization switching in a simple Hall bar device through analyzing the MR signal modified by a magnetic field.In this case,the symmetry of MR is broken,resulting in a resistance difference for opposite magnetization orientations.Moreover,the feasibility of our method is widely evidenced in heavy metal/ferromagnet(Pt/Ni₂₀Fe₈₀ and W/Co₂₀Fe₆₀B₂₀)and the topological insulator/ferromagnet(Bi₂Se₃/Ni₂₀Fe₈₀).Our work simplifies the characterization process of the in-plane magnetization switching,which can promote the development of SOT-based devices.     

RF magnetron sputtering induced the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy modification in Pt/Co based multilayers

We demonstrate that radio frequency(RF)magnetron sputtering technique can modify the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy(PMA)of Pt/Co/normal metal(NM)thin films.Influence of ion irradiation during RF magnetron sputtering should not be neglected and it can weaken PMA of the deposited magnetic films.The magnitude of this influence can be controlled by tuning RF magnetron sputtering deposition conditions and the upper NM layer thickness.According to the stopping and range of ions in matter(SRIM)simulation results,defects such as displacement atoms and vacancies in the deposited film will increase after the RF magnetron sputtering,which can account for the weakness of PMA.The amplitude changes of the Hall resistance and the threshold current intensity of spin orbit torque(SOT)induced magnetization switching also can be modified.Our study could be useful for controlling magnetic properties of PMA films and designing new type of SOT-based spintronic devices.     

Enhancement of spin-orbit torque efficiency by tailoring interfacial spin-orbit coupling in Pt-based magnetic multilayers

We study inserting Co layer thickness-dependent spin transport and spin-orbit torques (SOTs) in the Pt/Co/Py trilayers by spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance. The interfacial perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (IPMA) energy density ($K_{\rm s}= 2.7 $ erg/cm$^{2}$, 1 erg = 10$^{-7}$ J), which is dominated by interfacial spin-orbit coupling (ISOC) in the Pt/Co interface, total effective spin-mixing conductance $(G_{\mathrm{eff,tot}}^{\mathrm{\uparrow \downarrow }}=\mathrm{0.42\times }{10}^{15} \mathrm{\Omega }^{-1}\cdot\mathrm{m}^{-2}$) and two-magnon scattering ($\beta_{\mathrm{TMS}}= 0.46 {\mathrm{nm}}^{2}$) are first characterized, and the damping-like torque ($\xi_{\mathrm{DL}}= 0.103$) and field-like torque ($\xi _{\mathrm{FL}}=-0.017$) efficiencies are also calculated quantitatively by varying the thickness of the inserting Co layer. The significant enhancement of $\xi_{\mathrm{DL}}$ and $\xi_{\mathrm{FL}}$ in Pt/Co/Py than Pt/Py bilayer system originates from the interfacial Rashba-Edelstein effect due to the strong ISOC between Co-3d and Pt-5d orbitals at the Pt/Co interface. Additionally, we find a considerable out-of-plane spin polarization SOT, which is ascribed to the spin anomalous Hall effect and possible spin precession effect due to IPMA-induced perpendicular magnetization at the Pt/Co interface. Our results demonstrate that the ISOC of the Pt/Co interface plays a vital role in spin transport and SOTs-generation. Our finds offer an alternative approach to improve the conventional SOTs efficiencies and generate unconventional SOTs with out-of-plane spin polarization to develop low power Pt-based spintronic via tailoring the Pt/FM interface.     

Spin orbit torques in Pt-based heterostructures with van der Waals interface

Spin orbit torques(SOTs) in ferromagnet/heavy-metal heterostructures have provided great opportunities for efficient manipulation of spintronic devices. However, deterministically field-free switching of perpendicular magnetization with SOTs is forbidden because of the global two-fold rotational symmetry in conventional heavy-metal such as Pt. Here,we engineer the interface of Pt/Ni heterostructures by inserting a monolayer MoTe_2 with low crystal symmetry. It is demonstrated that the spin orbit efficiency, as well as the out-of-plane magnetic anisotropy and the Gilbert damping of Ni are enhanced, due to the effect of orbital hybridization and the increased spin scatting at the interface induced by MoTe_2.Particularly, an out-of-plane damping-like torque is observed when the current is applied perpendicular to the mirror plane of the MoTe_2 crystal, which is attributed to the interfacial inversion symmetry breaking of the system. Our work provides an effective route for engineering the SOT in Pt-based heterostructures, and offers potential opportunities for van der Waals interfaces in spintronic devices.     

Influence of thickness on current-induced magnetization switching in L1_0-FePt single layer

The thickness dependent spin–orbit torque(SOT) in an L1_0-Fe Pt single layer is investigated in this work. As the thickness increases from 8 nm to 16 nm, the magnetization switching ratio in the L1_0-Fe Pt film with higher chemical ordering becomes smaller. It is noted that compared with 3-nm-thick L1_0-Fe Pt film, 8-nm-thick L1_0-Fe Pt film can switch much magnetization with the increase of chemical ordering. When the Fe Pt film is thick enough, the SOT in Fe Pt is closely related to the L1_0-ordered structure, which indicates a bulk nature. Therefore, the disordering plays an important role in the magnetization switching only for the ultra-thin Fe Pt films, while the structural gradient may play an important role for thicker films. However, both of the two mechanisms cannot fully explain the process of magnetization switching and the spin current generation. Although many factors influence SOT, here in this work we emphasize only the bulk nature of strong SOC in L1_0-Fe Pt through density functional theory calculations, which should generate large spin current due to spin Hall effect.     

Perpendicular magnetization and exchange bias in epitaxial NiO/[Ni/Pt]2 multilayers

The realization of perpendicular magnetization and perpendicular exchange bias(PEB)in magnetic multilayers is important for the spintronic applications.NiO(t)/[Ni(4 nm)/Pt(1 nm)]₂multilayers with varying the NiO layer thickness t have been epitaxially deposited on SrTiO;(001)substrates.Perpendicular magnetization can be achieved when t<25 nm.Perpendicular magnetization originates from strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy(PMA),mainly resulting from interfacial strain induced by the lattice mismatch between the Ni and Pt layers.The PMA energy constant decreases monotonically with increasing t,due to the weakening of Ni(001)orientation and a little degradation of the Ni–Pt interface.Furthermore,significant PEB can be observed though NiO layer has spin compensated(001)crystalline plane.The PEB field increases monotonically with increasing t,which is considered to result from the thickness dependent anisotropy of the NiO layer.     

多层膜［Co85Cr15/Pt］20的磁性、垂直磁记录特性和微结构的关系

采用磁控溅射法制备了性能优良的以Pt为缓冲层的［Co85₈₅Cr15_{15/Pt］2020 多层膜，研究了溅射气压对［Co8585Cr1515/Pt］2020多层膜微结构和磁性的 影响.研究结果表明，Ar溅射气压对［Co8585Cr1515/Pt］2020多层膜的微结构 、垂直磁各向异性和矫顽力有重要的影响 关键词： 溅射气压 多层膜 垂直磁各向异性 有效磁各向异性常数}     

Switching plasticity in compensated ferrimagnetic multilayers for neuromorphic computing

Current-induced multilevel magnetization switching in ferrimagnetic spintronic devices is highly pursued for the application in neuromorphic computing. In this work, we demonstrate the switching plasticity in Co/Gd ferrimagnetic multilayers where the binary states magnetization switching induced by spin-orbit toque can be tuned into a multistate one as decreasing the domain nucleation barrier. Therefore, the switching plasticity can be tuned by the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of the multilayers and the in-plane magnetic field. Moreover, we used the switching plasticity of Co/Gd multilayers for demonstrating spike timing-dependent plasticity and sigmoid-like activation behavior. This work gives useful guidance to design multilevel spintronic devices which could be applied in high-performance neuromorphic computing.     

Large spin Hall effect and tunneling magnetoresistance in iridium-based magnetic tunnel junctions

Magnetic tunnel junctions(MTJs) switched by spin-orbit torque(SOT) have attracted substantial interest owing to their advantages of ultrahigh speed and prolonged endurance. Both field-free magnetization switching and high tunneling magnetoresistance(TMR) are critical for the practical application of SOT magnetic random access memory(MRAM). In this work, we propose an MTJ structure based on an iridium(Ir) bottom layer. Ir metal is a desirable candidate for field-free SOT switching owing to its strong intrinsic spin Hall conductivity(SHC), which can be enhanced via doping. Herein, we study TMR in Ir-based MTJs with symmetric and asymmetric structures. Ir-based MTJs exhibit large TMR, which can be further enhanced by heavy metal symmetry owing to the resonant tunneling effect. Our comprehensive investigations illustrate that Ir-based MTJs are promising candidates for realizing SOT switching and high TMR.