Anisotropic Current-Controlled Magnetization Reversal in the Ferromagnetic Semiconductor (Ga,Mn)As

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that current-induced magnetization reversal in (Ga,Mn)As is highly anisotropic and depends on the current direction relative to crystal axes, with strain effects playing a significant role.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the anisotropic nature of current-controlled magnetization switching in ferromagnetic semiconductors, highlighting strain effects and spin-orbit coupling influences.

Findings

Magnetization switching efficiency varies with current orientation.

Strain-induced magnetic fields are three times larger than Rashba fields.

The spin-orbit effective magnetic field depends on current direction and magnitude.

Abstract

Electrical current manipulation of magnetization switching through spin-orbital coupling in ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga,Mn)As Hall bar devices has been investigated. The efficiency of the current-controlled magnetization switching is found to be sensitive to the orientation of the current with respect to the crystalline axes. The dependence of the spin-orbit effective magnetic field on the direction and magnitude of the current is determined from the shifts in the magnetization switching angle. We find that the strain induced effective magnetic field is about three times as large as the Rashba induced magnetic field in our GaMnAs devices.