Third Harmonic Characterization of Antiferromagnetic Heterostructures

ORAL

Abstract

Electrical switching of antiferromagnets is an exciting recent development in spintronics, which promises active antiferromagnetic devices with high speed and low energy cost. In this emerging field, there is an active debate about the mechanisms of the current-driven switching of antiferromagnets. Harmonic characterization is a powerful tool to quantify current-induced spin-orbit torques and spin Seebeck effect in heavy-metal/ferromagnet systems. However, the harmonic measurement of spin-orbit torque has never been verified in antiferromagnetic heterostructures. Here, we report for the first time harmonic measurements in Pt/a-Fe2O3 bilayers, which are explained by our modeling of higher-order harmonic voltages. As compared with ferromagnetic heterostructures where all current-induced effects appear in the second harmonic signals, the damping-like torque and thermally-induced magnetoelastic effect contributions in Pt/a-Fe2O3 emerge in the third harmonic voltage. Our results provide a new path to probe the current-induced magnetization dynamics in antiferromagnets, promoting the application of antiferromagnetic spintronic devices.



*This work was primarily supported by the Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences, under Grant No. DE-SC0001304 (film growth, harmonic measurements and analysis), and partially supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research under grant FA9550-19-1-0307 (sample patterning and x-ray diffraction).

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Publication: Cheng, Y., Cogulu, E., Resnick, R.D. et al. Third harmonic characterization of antiferromagnetic heterostructures. Nat Commun 13, 3659 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31451-9

Presenters

  • Yang Cheng

    • Ohio State Univ - Columbus
    • University of California, Los Angeles

Authors

  • Yang Cheng

    • Ohio State Univ - Columbus
    • University of California, Los Angeles

  • Egecan Cogulu

    • New York University (NYU)

  • Rachel Resnick

    • The Ohio State University

  • Justin J Michel

    • Ohio State University

  • Nahuel N Statuto

    • New York Univ NYU

  • Andrew D Kent

    • New York University
    • New York University, Department of Physics
    • Center for Quantum Phenomena, Department of Physics, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA

  • Fengyuan Yang

    • Ohio State Univ - Columbus