Antiferromagnet-Based Spintronic Functionality by Controlling Isospin Domains in a Layered Perovskite Iridate

Spin-flip-driven anomalous Hall effect and anisotropic magnetoresistance in a layered Ising antiferromagnet

The influence of magnetocrystalline anisotropy in antiferromagnets is evident in a spin flip or flop transition. Contrary to spin flops, a spin-flip transition has been scarcely presented due to its specific condition of relatively strong magnetocrystalline anisotropy and the role of spin-flips on anisotropic phenomena has not been investigated in detail. In this study, we present antiferromagnet-based functional properties on an itinerant Ising antiferromagnet Ca_0.9Sr_0.1Co₂As₂. In the presence of a rotating magnetic field, anomalous Hall conductivity and anisotropic magnetoresistance are demonstrated, the effects of which are maximized above the spin-flip transition. Moreover, a joint experimental and theoretical study is conducted to provide an efficient tool to identify various spin states, which can be useful in spin-processing functionalities.

Spin-flip-driven reversal of the angle-dependent magnetic torque in layered antiferromagnetic Ca0.9Sr0.1Co2As2

Spin-flip transition can occur in antiferromagnets with strong magnetocrystalline anisotropy, inducing a significant modification of the anisotropic magnetic properties through phase conversion. In contrast to ferromagnets, antiferromagnets have not been thoroughly examined in terms of their anisotropic characteristics. We investigated the magnetic-field and angle-dependent magnetic properties of Ising-type antiferromagnetic Ca_0.9Sr_0.1Co₂As₂ using magnetic torque measurements. An A-type antiferromagnetic order emerges below T_N = 97 K aligned along the magnetically easy c-axis. The reversal of the angle-dependent torque across the spin-flip transition was observed, revealing the strong influence of the magnetocrystalline anisotropy on the magnetic properties. Based on the easy-axis anisotropic spin model, we theoretically generated torque data and identified specific spin configurations associated with the magnetic torque variation in the presence of a rotating magnetic field. Our results enrich fundamental and applied research on diverse antiferromagnetic compounds by shedding new light on the distinct magnetic features of the Ising-type antiferromagnet.

Controllable Emergent Spatial Spin Modulation in Sr_{2}IrO_{4} by In Situ Shear Strain

Symmetric anisotropic interaction can be ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic at the same time but for different crystallographic axes. We show that the competition of anisotropic interactions of orthogonal irreducible representations can be a general route to obtain new exotic magnetic states. We demonstrate it here by observing the emergence of a continuously tunable 12-layer spatial spin modulation when distorting the square-lattice planes in the quasi-two-dimensional antiferromagnetic Sr_{2}IrO_{4} under in situ shear strain. This translation-symmetry-breaking phase is a result of an unusual strain-activated anisotropic interaction which is at the fourth order and competing with the inherent quadratic anisotropic interaction. Such a mechanism of competing anisotropy is distinct from that among the ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic, and/or the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions, and it could be widely applicable and highly controllable in low-dimensional magnets.

Ultrathin Van der Waals Antiferromagnet CrTe3 for Fabrication of In-Plane CrTe3 /CrTe2 Monolayer Magnetic Heterostructures

Ultrathin van der Waals (vdW) magnets are heavily pursued for potential applications in developing high-density miniaturized electronic/spintronic devices as well as for topological physics in low-dimensional structures. Despite the rapid advances in ultrathin ferromagnetic vdW magnets, the antiferromagnetic counterparts, as well as the antiferromagnetic junctions, are much less studied owing to the difficulties in both material fabrication and magnetism characterization. Ultrathin CrTe₃ layers have been theoretically proposed to be a vdW antiferromagnetic semiconductor with intrinsic intralayer antiferromagnetism. Herein, the epitaxial growth of monolayer (ML) and bilayer CrTe₃ on graphite surface is demonstrated. The structure, electronic and magnetic properties of the ML CrTe₃ are characterized by combining scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy and non-contact atomic force microscopy and confirmed by density functional theory calculations. The CrTe₃ MLs can be further utilized for the fabrication of a lateral heterojunction consisting of ML CrTe₂ and ML CrTe₃ with an atomically sharp and seamless interface. Since ML CrTe₂ is a metallic vdW magnet, such a heterostructure presents the first in-plane magnetic metal-semiconductor heterojunction made of two vdW materials. The successful fabrication of ultrathin antiferromagnetic CrTe₃ , as well as the magnetic heterojunction, will stimulate the development of miniaturized antiferromagnetic spintronic devices based on vdW materials.

Direct Observation of Strong Anomalous Hall Effect and Proximity-Induced Ferromagnetic State in SrIrO3

The 5d iridium-based transition metal oxides have gained broad interest because of their strong spin-orbit coupling, which favors new or exotic quantum electronic states. On the other hand, they rarely exhibit more mainstream orders like ferromagnetism due to generally weak electron-electron correlation strength. Here, a proximity-induced ferromagnetic (FM) state with T_C  ≈ 100 K and strong magnetocrystalline anisotropy is shown in a SrIrO₃ (SIO) heterostructure via interfacial charge transfer by using a ferromagnetic insulator in contact with SIO. Electrical transport allows to selectively probe the FM state of the SIO layer and the direct observation of a strong, intrinsic, and positive anomalous Hall effect (AHE). For T ≤ 20 K, the AHE displays unusually large coercive and saturation field, a fingerprint of a strong pseudospin-lattice coupling. A Hall angle, σ_xy ^AHE /σ_{xx ,} larger by an order of magnitude than in typical 3d metals and an FM net moment of about 0.1 μ_B /Ir, is reported. This emphasizes how efficiently the nontrivial topological band properties of SIO can be manipulated by structural modifications and the exchange interaction with 3d TMOs.

Hybridized bands and stacking-dependent band edges in ferromagnetic Fe3GeTe2/CrGeTe3 moiré heterobilayer

Owing to unique fundamental physics and device applications, twisted moiré physics in two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdW) layered magnetic materials has recently received particular attention. We investigate magnetic vdW Fe₃GeTe₂ (FGT)/CrGeTe₃ (CGT) moiré heterobilayers with twist angles of 11° and 30° from first-principles. We show that the moiré heterobilayer is a ferromagnetic metal with an n-type CGT layer due to the dominant spin-majority electron transfer from the FGT layer to the CGT layer, regardless of various stacked structures. The spin-majority hybridized bands between Cr and Fe bands crossing the Fermi level are found regardless of stacking. The band alignment of the CGT layer depends on the effective potential difference at the interface. We show that an external electric field perpendicular to the in-plane direction modulates the interface dipole and band edges. Our study reveals a deeper understanding of the effects of stacking, spin alignment, spin transfer, and electrostatic gating on the 2D vdW magnetic metal/semiconductor heterostructure interface.

Low-field magnetic anisotropy of Sr2IrO4

Magnetic anisotropy in strontium iridate (Sr₂IrO₄) is essential because of its strong spin-orbit coupling and crystal field effect. In this paper, we present a detailed mapping of the out-of-plane (OOP) magnetic anisotropy in Sr₂IrO₄for different sample orientations using torque magnetometry measurements in the low-magnetic-field region before the isospins are completely ordered. Dominant in-plane anisotropy was identified at low fields, confirming thebaxis as an easy magnetization axis. Based on the fitting analysis of the strong uniaxial magnetic anisotropy, we observed that the main anisotropic effect arises from a spin-orbit-coupled magnetic exchange interaction affecting the OOP interaction. The effect of interlayer exchange interaction results in additional anisotropic terms owing to the tilting of the isospins. The results are relevant for understanding OOP magnetic anisotropy and provide a new way to analyze the effects of spin-orbit-coupling and interlayer magnetic exchange interactions. This study provides insight into the understanding of bulk magnetic, magnetotransport, and spintronic behavior on Sr₂IrO₄for future studies.

Comprehensive Electrical Control of Metamagnetic Transition of a Quasi-2D Antiferromagnet by In Situ Anisotropic Strain

Effective nonmagnetic control of the spin structure is at the forefront of the study for functional quantum materials. This study demonstrates that, by applying an anisotropic strain up to only 0.05%, the metamagnetic transition field of spin-orbit-coupled Mott insulator Sr₂ IrO₄ can be in situ modulated by almost 300%. Simultaneous measurements of resonant X-ray scattering and transport reveal that this drastic response originates from the complete strain-tuning of the transition between the spin-flop and spin-flip limits, and is always accompanied by large elastoconductance and magnetoconductance. This enables electrically controllable and electronically detectable metamagnetic switching, despite the antiferromagnetic insulating state. The obtained strain-magnetic field phase diagram reveals that C₄ -symmetry-breaking anisotropy is introduced by strain via pseudospin-lattice coupling, directly demonstrating the pseudo-Jahn-Teller effect of spin-orbit-coupled complex oxides. The extracted coupling strength is much weaker than the superexchange interactions, yet crucial for the spontaneous symmetry-breaking, affording the remarkably efficient strain-control.

The Jeff = 1/2 Antiferromagnet Sr2 IrO4 : A Golden Avenue toward New Physics and Functions

Iridates have been providing a fertile ground for studying emergent phases of matter that arise from the delicate interplay of various fundamental interactions with approximate energy scale. Among these highly focused quantum materials, the perovskite Sr₂ IrO₄ , which belongs to the Ruddlesden-Popper series, stands out and has been intensively addressed in the last decade, since it hosts a novel J_eff = 1/2 state that is a profound manifestation of strong spin-orbit coupling. Moreover, the J_eff = 1/2 state represents a rare example of iridates that is better understood both theoretically and experimentally. Here, Sr₂ IrO₄ is taken as an example to review the recent advances of the J_eff = 1/2 state in two aspects: materials fundamentals and functionality potentials. In the fundamentals part, the basic issues for the layered canted antiferromagnetic order of the J_eff = 1/2 magnetic moments in Sr₂ IrO₄ are illustrated, and then the progress of the antiferromagnetic order modulation through diverse routes is highlighted. Subsequently, for the functionality potentials, fascinating properties such as atomic-scale giant magnetoresistance, anisotropic magnetoresistance, and nonvolatile memory, are addressed. To conclude, prospective remarks and an outlook are given.

Magnetic Anisotropy of a Quasi Two-Dimensional Canted Antiferromagnet

We report the control of the interplane magnetic exchange coupling in CaIrO₃ perovskite thin films and superlattices with SrTiO₃. By analyzing the anisotropic magneto-transport data, we demonstrate that a semimetallic paramagnetic CaIrO₃ turns into a canted antiferromagnetic Mott insulator at reduced dimensions. The emergence of a biaxial magneto-crystalline anisotropy indicates the canted moment responding to the cubic symmetry. Extending to superlattices and probing oxygen octahedral rotation by half-integer X-ray Braggs diffraction, a more complete picture about the canted moment evolution with interplane coupling can be understood. Remarkably, a rotation of the canted moments' easy axes by 45° is also observed by a sign reversal of the in-plane strain. These results demonstrate the robustness of anisotropic magnetoresistance in revealing quasi two-dimensional canted antiferromagnets, as well as valuable insights about quadrupolar magnetoelastic coupling, relevant for designing future antiferromagnetic spintronic devices.

Anomalous magnetoresistance due to longitudinal spin fluctuations in a Jeff = 1/2 Mott semiconductor

As a hallmark of electronic correlation, spin-charge interplay underlies many emergent phenomena in doped Mott insulators, such as high-temperature superconductivity, whereas the half-filled parent state is usually electronically frozen with an antiferromagnetic order that resists external control. We report on the observation of a positive magnetoresistance that probes the staggered susceptibility of a pseudospin-half square-lattice Mott insulator built as an artificial SrIrO₃/SrTiO₃ superlattice. Its size is particularly large in the high-temperature insulating paramagnetic phase near the Néel transition. This magnetoresistance originates from a collective charge response to the large longitudinal spin fluctuations under a linear coupling between the external magnetic field and the staggered magnetization enabled by strong spin-orbit interaction. Our results demonstrate a magnetic control of the binding energy of the fluctuating particle-hole pairs in the Slater-Mott crossover regime analogous to the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer-to-Bose-Einstein condensation crossover of ultracold-superfluids.

Spin-charge interactions are at the core of electronic correlation phenomena in Mott insulators. Here, the authors observe a positive anomalous magnetoresistance in a SrIrO₃/SrTiO₃ superlattice, indicative of strong spin-charge fluctuations in this pseudospin-half square-lattice Mott insulator.

Giant anisotropic magnetoresistance and nonvolatile memory in canted antiferromagnet Sr2IrO4

Antiferromagnets have been generating intense interest in the spintronics community, owing to their intrinsic appealing properties like zero stray field and ultrafast spin dynamics. While the control of antiferromagnetic (AFM) orders has been realized by various means, applicably appreciated functionalities on the readout side of AFM-based devices are urgently desired. Here, we report the remarkably enhanced anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) as giant as ~160% in a simple resistor structure made of AFM Sr₂IrO₄ without auxiliary reference layer. The underlying mechanism for the giant AMR is an indispensable combination of atomic scale giant-MR-like effect and magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy, which was not accessed earlier. Furthermore, we demonstrate the bistable nonvolatile memory states that can be switched in-situ without the inconvenient heat-assisted procedure, and robustly preserved even at zero magnetic field, due to the modified interlayer coupling by 1% Ga-doping in Sr₂IrO₄. These findings represent a straightforward step toward the AFM spintronic devices.