Unidirectional spin-Hall and Rashba−Edelstein magnetoresistance in topological insulator-ferromagnet layer heterostructures

Yang Lv, James Kally, Delin Zhang, Joon Sue Lee, Mahdi Jamali, Nitin Samarth () and Jian-Ping Wang ()
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Yang Lv: University of Minnesota
James Kally: The Pennsylvania State University
Delin Zhang: University of Minnesota
Joon Sue Lee: The Pennsylvania State University
Mahdi Jamali: University of Minnesota
Nitin Samarth: The Pennsylvania State University
Jian-Ping Wang: University of Minnesota

Nature Communications, 2018, vol. 9, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract The large spin−orbit coupling in topological insulators results in helical spin-textured Dirac surface states that are attractive for topological spintronics. These states generate an efficient spin−orbit torque on proximal magnetic moments. However, memory or logic spin devices based upon such switching require a non-optimal three-terminal geometry, with two terminals for the writing current and one for reading the state of the device. An alternative two-terminal device geometry is now possible by exploiting the recent discovery of the unidirectional spin Hall magnetoresistance in heavy metal/ferromagnet bilayers and unidirectional magnetoresistance in magnetic topological insulators. Here, we report the observation of such unidirectional magnetoresistance in a technologically relevant device geometry that combines a topological insulator with a conventional ferromagnetic metal. Our devices show a figure of merit (magnetoresistance per current density per total resistance) that is more than twice as large as the highest reported values in all-metal Ta/Co bilayers.

Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02491-3

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