Enhancement of the anti-damping spin torque efficacy of platinum by interface modification

Journal Article · Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4922084· OSTI ID:22412537

Nguyen, Minh-Hai; Pai, Chi-Feng; Nguyen, Kayla X.; Muller, David A.; Ralph, D. C. ^[1]

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1. Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 (United States)

We report a strong enhancement of the efficacy of the spin Hall effect (SHE) of Pt for exerting anti-damping spin torque on an adjacent ferromagnetic layer by the insertion of ≈0.5 nm layer of Hf between a Pt film and a thin, ≤2 nm, Fe{sub 60}Co{sub 20}B{sub 20} ferromagnetic layer. This enhancement is quantified by measurement of the switching current density when the ferromagnetic layer is the free electrode in a magnetic tunnel junction. The results are explained as the suppression of spin pumping through a substantial decrease in the effective spin-mixing conductance of the interface, but without a concomitant reduction of the ferromagnet's absorption of the SHE generated spin current.

• OSTI ID: 22412537
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 106, Issue 22; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COBALT BORIDES
CURRENT DENSITY
FERROMAGNETIC MATERIALS
FILMS
HAFNIUM
HALL EFFECT
IRON COMPOUNDS
LAYERS
PLATINUM
SPIN
SUPERCONDUCTING JUNCTIONS
TUNNEL EFFECT