Author(s): Bekele, ZA (Bekele, Zelalem Abebe); Liu, XH (Liu, Xionghua); Cao, Y (Cao, Yi); Wang, KY (Wang, Kaiyou)

Source: ADVANCED ELECTRONIC MATERIALS Article Number: 2000793 DOI: 10.1002/aelm.202000793 Early Access Date: NOV 2020

Abstract: Spin-orbit torque (SOT) induced perpendicular magnetization switching in Pt1-xGdx/Co/Al2O3 heterostructure with x = 0, 0.02, 0.14, 0.30, and 0.33 is investigated. With in-plane charge current flowing through the Pt1-xGdx layer, field-free current-induced magnetization switching is observed for all nonzero x due to the existence of opposite spin Hall angles (theta(SHA)) from Pt1-xGdx alloys. Furthermore, the large theta(SHA) of about 0.27 is obtained in the optimal Pt0.70Gd0.30 alloy films, which is about four times larger than that of the pure Pt. This work suggests a simple and scalable method for realizing field-free SOT switching, and provides potential candidates of spin Hall materials that can be used to produce highly efficient SOTs.

Accession Number: WOS:000594073500001

ISSN: 2199-160X

Full Text: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aelm.202000793