Spin orbit effects in CoFeB/MgO hetereostructures with heavy metal underlayers

TL;DR

This paper investigates how heavy metal underlayers influence spin orbit effects such as magnetic anisotropy, spin Hall angle, and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction in CoFeB/MgO heterostructures, revealing the impact of different 5d transition metals.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of how various heavy metal underlayers affect spin orbit phenomena in CoFeB/MgO heterostructures, highlighting the role of 5d transition metals.

Findings

Heavy metal choice alters magnetic anisotropy and spin Hall effects.

Different 5d transition metals modify Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction.

Interface properties are sensitive to the heavy metal underlayer.

Abstract

We study effects originating from the strong spin orbit coupling in CoFeB/MgO heterostructures with heavy metal (HM) underlayers. The perpendicular magnetic anisotropy at the CoFeB/MgO interface, the spin Hall angle of the heavy metal layer, current induced torques and the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction at the HM/CoFeB interfaces are studied for films in which the early 5d transition metals are used as the HM underlayer. We show how the choice of the HM layer influences these intricate spin orbit effects that emerge within the bulk and at interfaces of the heterostructures.