Interfacial charge accumulation effect on magnetic domain wall nucleation and propagation in a Pt/Co/Pt/Al2O3 structure

TL;DR

This study demonstrates how interfacial charge accumulation influences magnetic domain wall nucleation and propagation in a layered Pt/Co/Pt/Al2O3 structure, revealing charge effects on magnetic properties at the nanoscale.

Contribution

It provides direct experimental evidence linking interfacial charge accumulation to magnetic domain behavior in ultrathin layered structures.

Findings

Positive charge accumulation promotes domain wall propagation.

Negative charge accumulation hinders domain nucleation and propagation.

Magnetic properties are affected by 5d electron charge states in Pt layers.

Abstract

We report direct observation of charge accumulation effect on magnetization reversal in a Pt/Co(0.5 nm)/Pt(0.5 nm)/Al2O3 structure with perpendicular anisotropy. By imaging magnetic domain with polar Kerr microscopy, we evidence that positive charges accumulating at the Pt/Al2O3 interface result in favoring magnetic domain wall propagation, while negative charges hinder domain wall nucleation and propagation. Our results suggest that magnetic properties in Co layer can be strongly influenced by 5d electron accumulation/depletion in an ultrathin Pt layer.