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The search for efficient approaches to realize local switching of magnetic moments in spintronic devices has attracted intense interest. In particular, spin-orbit torque (SOT) that arises from materials with large spin-orbit coupling (SOC) offers a new pathway for energy-efficient and fast magnetic information storage. Recent studies on SOT-induced magnetization switching and dynamics in magnetic heterostructures have shown promise for SOT-MRAM 1-2. We have demonstrated electrical manipulation of magnetization and exchange bias (EB) in an antiferromagnet/ferromagnet (AFM/FM) based device via SOT 3. Perpendicular EB reversal across AFM IrMn and FM Co/Pt2 multilayer has been shown, both in extended and confined geometries. In three-terminal perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) devices (Figs. 1a and 1b), we have achieved the switching of the magnetization and EB using the SOT (Fig. 1c). Both high- and low- resistances have been observed at zero magnetic field during EB switching (Fig. 1d). These findings provide a new direction in exploring the electrical control of EB in SOT magnetic random access memory (SOT-MRAM). In another study, we have demonstrated that the magnon current excited in an insulating NiO AFM layer by an electronic spin current in an all-oxide epitaxial SrRuO3/NiO/SrIrO3 heterostructure is effective for manipulating the perpendicular magnetization in the SrRuO3 layer 4. Fig. 2 shows the schematic of the heterostructure and TEM image of the interfaces and the current driven magnetization switching. Interestingly, the threshold current density to generate a sufficient magnon current to manipulate the magnetization was one order of magnitude smaller than that in conventional metallic systems. These results suggest a route for developing highly efficient magnon based all-oxide spintronic devices.
This work has been supported by KAUST, SRC/NIST SMART center, and US-NSF.
References
1 I.M. Miron, et al, Nature, 476 (2011) 189.
2 L.Q. Liu, et al, Science, 336 (2012) 555.
3. B. Fang, et al, Advanced Functional Materials,2022, 32, 2112406.
4. D.X. Zheng, et al, Advanced Materials, revised and resubmitted.

