Giant antidamping orbital torque originating from the orbital Rashba-Edelstein effect in ferromagnetic heterostructures

Xi Chen, Yang Liu, Guang Yang, Hui Shi, Chen Hu, Minghua Li and Haibo Zeng ()
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Xi Chen: Nanjing University of Science and Technology
Yang Liu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Guang Yang: University of Science and Technology Beijing
Hui Shi: University of Science and Technology Beijing
Chen Hu: McGill University
Minghua Li: University of Science and Technology Beijing
Haibo Zeng: Nanjing University of Science and Technology

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

Abstract: Abstract Enhancing the in-plane current-induced torque efficiency in inversion-symmetry-breaking ferromagnetic heterostructures is of both fundamental and practical interests for emerging magnetic memory device applications. Here, we present an interface-originated magnetoelectric effect, the orbital Rashba–Edelstein effect, for realizing large torque efficiency in Pt/Co/SiO2/Pt films with strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA). The key element is a pronounced Co 3d orbital splitting due to asymmetric orbital hybridization at the Pt/Co and Co/SiO2 interfaces, which not only stabilizes the PMA but also produces a large orbital torque upon the Co magnetization with current injection. The torque efficiency is found to be strongly magnetization direction- and temperature-dependent, and can reach up to 2.83 at room temperature, which is several times to one order of magnitude larger than those previously reported. This work highlights the active role of the orbital anisotropy for efficient torque generation and indicates a route for torque efficiency optimization through orbital engineering.

Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05057-z

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