Antiferromagnetic V 2 O 3 based exchange coupling

Journal Article · 12 May 2024 · Physical Review Materials

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevmaterials.8.054407 · OSTI ID:2352464

el Hage, Ralph ^[1]; Wang, Tianxing D.  ^[2]; Li, Junjie  ^[2]; Basaran, Ali C.  ^[2]; Torres, Felipe  ^[3]; Schuller, Ivan K. ^[2]

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1. University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA (United States); University of California San Diego
2. University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA (United States)
3. Universidad de Chile, Santiago (Chile); CEDENNA, Santiago (Chile)

Vanadium sesquioxide (V₂O₃) is a strongly correlated electronic material that famously undergoes a triple coupled first-order transition where it transitions from a paramagnetic metal with a rhombohedral structure at high temperature to an antiferromagnetic insulator with a monoclinic structure. While several studies have used one of both electronic and structural transitions to control the properties of a heterostructure, evidence of magnetic coupling has notoriously yet to be found. In this paper, we report on a robust magnetic coupling between the antiferromagnetic (AFM) V₂O₃ and ferromagnetic (FM) Permalloy (Py) layers that results in a significant exchange bias and strain-induced coercivity enhancement. We provide a temperature and angle-dependent study of magnetic properties, which clearly indicates exchange bias at the AFM/FM interface that appears at the onset of the metal-insulator transition. The magnitude of the exchange bias is strongest when the field is applied along the [001] V₂O₃ crystallographic orientation which corresponds to an AFM spin configuration on the [110] surface. Furthermore, this opens the door to designing and implementing novel functionalities in transition metal oxide-based computing using the connection between magnetism and the metal-insulator transition.

• Research Organization: University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• Grant/Contract Number: FG02-87ER45332
• OSTI ID: 2352464
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 2356991
• Journal Information: Physical Review Materials, Journal Name: Physical Review Materials Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 8; ISSN 2475-9953
• Publisher: American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English