First-principles spin-transfer torque in CuMnAs$|$GaP$|$CuMnAs junctions

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that all-antiferromagnetic CuMnAs|GaP|CuMnAs tunnel junctions can be used as efficient spintronics devices with high-frequency potential, utilizing spin-transfer torque to manipulate and read magnetic states.

Contribution

It introduces a first-principles approach to analyze spin-transfer torque in antiferromagnetic tunnel junctions, showing their potential for high-frequency spintronic applications.

Findings

Staggered spin-transfer torque can manipulate the Neel vector.

Magnetoresistance varies with interface details.

Torque remains robust across different surface terminations.

Abstract

We demonstrate that an all-antiferromagnetic tunnel junction with current perpendicular to the plane geometry can be used as an efficient spintronics device with potential high frequency operation. By using state-of-the-art density functional theory combined with quantum transport, we show that the N\'eel vector of the electrodes can be manipulated by spin-transfer torque. This is staggered over the two different magnetic sublattices and can generate dynamics and switching. At the same time the different magnetization states of the junction can be read by standard tunnelling magnetoresistance. Calculations are performed for CuMnAs$|$GaP$|$CuMnAs junctions with different surface terminations between the anti-ferromagnetic CuMnAs electrodes and the insulating GaP spacer. In particular we find that the torque remains staggered regardless of the termination, while the magnetoresistance depends on the microscopic details of the interface.