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Magnetic asymmetry induced anomalous spin-orbit torque in IrMn

Jing Zhou, Xinyu Shu, Yaohua Liu, Xiao Wang, Weinan Lin, Shaohai Chen, Liang Liu, Qidong Xie, Tao Hong, Ping Yang, Binghai Yan, Xiufeng Han, Jingsheng Chen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We demonstrate an anomalous spin-orbit torque induced by the broken magnetic symmetry in the antiferromagnet IrMn. We study the magnetic structure of three phases of IrMn thin films using neutron diffraction technique. The magnetic mirror symmetry M′ is broken laterally in both L10-IrMn and L12-IrMn3 but not γ-IrMn3. We observe an out-of-plane dampinglike spin-orbit torque in both L10-IrMn/permalloy and L12-IrMn3/permalloy bilayers but not in γ-IrMn3/permalloy. This is consistent with both the symmetry analysis on the effects of a broken M′ on spin-orbit torque and the theoretical predictions of the spin Hall effect and the Rashba-Edelstein effect. In addition, the measured spin-orbit torque efficiencies are 0.61 ± 0.01, 1.01 ± 0.03, and 0.80 ± 0.01 for the L10,L12, and γphases, respectively. Our work highlights the critical roles of the magnetic asymmetry in spin-orbit torque generation.

Original languageEnglish
Article number184403
Number of pages11
JournalPhysical Review B
Volume101
Issue number18
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 May 2020

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics

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