Readout of an antiferromagnetic spintronics system by strong exchange coupling of Mn2Au and Permalloy

Bommanaboyena SP, Backes D, Veiga LS, Dhesi SS, Niu YR, Sarpi B, Denneulin T, Kovacs A, Mashoff T, Gomonay O, Sinova J, Everschor-Sitte K, Schoenke D, Reeve RM, Klaeui M, Elmers HJ, Jourdan M (2021)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2021

Journal

Nature Communications Nature Publishing Group: Nature Communications

Book Volume: 12

Article Number: 6539

Journal Issue: 1

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26892-7

Abstract

In antiferromagnetic spintronics, the read-out of the staggered magnetization or Néel vector is the key obstacle to harnessing the ultra-fast dynamics and stability of antiferromagnets for novel devices. Here, we demonstrate strong exchange coupling of Mn2Au, a unique metallic antiferromagnet that exhibits Néel spin-orbit torques, with thin ferromagnetic Permalloy layers. This allows us to benefit from the well-established read-out methods of ferromagnets, while the essential advantages of antiferromagnetic spintronics are only slightly diminished. We show one-to-one imprinting of the antiferromagnetic on the ferromagnetic domain pattern. Conversely, alignment of the Permalloy magnetization reorients the Mn2Au Néel vector, an effect, which can be restricted to large magnetic fields by tuning the ferromagnetic layer thickness. To understand the origin of the strong coupling, we carry out high resolution electron microscopy imaging and we find that our growth yields an interface with a well-defined morphology that leads to the strong exchange coupling.

Involved external institutions

Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz (JGU) DE Germany (DE) Diamond Light Source GB United Kingdom (GB) MAX IV Laboratory SE Sweden (SE) Forschungszentrum Jülich / Research Centre Jülich (FZJ) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Bommanaboyena, S.P., Backes, D., Veiga, L.S., Dhesi, S.S., Niu, Y.R., Sarpi, B.,... Jourdan, M. (2021). Readout of an antiferromagnetic spintronics system by strong exchange coupling of Mn2Au and Permalloy. Nature Communications, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-26892-7

MLA:

Bommanaboyena, S. P., et al. "Readout of an antiferromagnetic spintronics system by strong exchange coupling of Mn2Au and Permalloy." Nature Communications 12.1 (2021).

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