Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in bulk and thin-film CuMnAs for antiferromagnetic memory applications

TL;DR

This paper proposes CuMnAs as a promising material for antiferromagnetic memory, demonstrating that surface magnetization and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy can be achieved in bulk and thin films through doping and structural engineering.

Contribution

It predicts that doping bulk CuMnAs with specific elements induces perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, and demonstrates that thin films also exhibit this property, advancing antiferromagnetic memory technology.

Findings

Easy-axis anisotropy can be achieved in doped bulk CuMnAs.

Thin CuMnAs(001) films exhibit perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.

Temperature dependence of magnetic anisotropy shows no anomalies.

Abstract

CuMnAs with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy is proposed as an active material for antiferromagnetic memory. Information can be stored in the antiferromagnetic domain state, while writing and readout can rely on the existence of the surface magnetization. It is predicted, based on first-principles calculations, that easy-axis anisotropy can be achieved in bulk CuMnAs by substituting a few percent of As atoms by Ge, Si, Al, or B. This effect is attributed to the changing occupation of certain electronic bands near the Fermi level induced by the hole doping. The calculated temperature dependence of the magnetic anisotropy does not exhibit any anomalies. Thin CuMnAs(001) films are also predicted to have perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.