Spin-orbit torques from interfacial spin-orbit coupling for various interfaces

Kim KW, Lee KJ, Sinova J, Lee HW, Stiles MD (2017)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2017

Journal

Physical Review B American Physical Society

Book Volume: 96

Article Number: 104438

Journal Issue: 10

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.96.104438

Abstract

We use a perturbative approach to study the effects of interfacial spin-orbit coupling in magnetic multilayers by treating the two-dimensional Rashba model in a fully three-dimensional description of electron transport near an interface. This formalism provides a compact analytic expression for current-induced spin-orbit torques in terms of unperturbed scattering coefficients, allowing computation of spin-orbit torques for various contexts, by simply substituting scattering coefficients into the formulas. It applies to calculations of spin-orbit torques for magnetic bilayers with bulk magnetism, those with interface magnetism, a normal-metal/ferromagnetic insulator junction, and a topological insulator/ferromagnet junction. It predicts a dampinglike component of spin-orbit torque that is distinct from any intrinsic contribution or those that arise from particular spin relaxation mechanisms. We discuss the effects of proximity-induced magnetism and insertion of an additional layer and provide formulas for in-plane current, which is induced by a perpendicular bias, anisotropic magnetoresistance, and spin memory loss in the same formalism.

Involved external institutions

Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz (JGU) DE Germany (DE) Korea University KR Korea, Republic of (KR) Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) KR Korea, Republic of (KR) National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) US United States (USA) (US)

How to cite

APA:

Kim, K.-W., Lee, K.-J., Sinova, J., Lee, H.-W., & Stiles, M.D. (2017). Spin-orbit torques from interfacial spin-orbit coupling for various interfaces. Physical Review B, 96(10). https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.96.104438

MLA:

Kim, Kyoung-Whan, et al. "Spin-orbit torques from interfacial spin-orbit coupling for various interfaces." Physical Review B 96.10 (2017).

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