Magnetization reversal in S/F/S Josephson junctions on a 3D topological insulator

TL;DR

This paper investigates how a superconductor/insulating ferromagnet/superconductor Josephson junction on a 3D topological insulator can achieve efficient, low-dissipation magnetization reversal driven by electric current pulses, leveraging spin-momentum locking.

Contribution

It demonstrates the potential for low-dissipative spintronics using topological insulator surface states to control magnetization with minimal energy loss.

Findings

Magnetization can be reversed by current pulses below the critical current.

Strong coupling between orbital and spin degrees of freedom enables efficient reversal.

Magnetic anisotropy affects the controllability of the reversal process.

Abstract

We study a magnetization reversal by an electric current pulse in a superconductor/insulating ferromagnet/superconductor Josephson junction placed on top of a 3D topological insulator. It is demonstrated that such a system is perspective for low-dissipative spintronics because of the strong spin-momentum locking in the TI surface states. This property provides an ideally strong coupling between the orbital and spin degrees of freedom thus giving a possibility of efficient reversal of the magnetic moment by current pulse with amplitude lower than the critical current, that results in strongly reduced energy dissipation. The underlying physical mechanism of the reversal is discussed. The influence of the magnetic anisotropy on the controllability of the reversal by the pulse duration is investigated. In addition, a way of a simultaneous electrical detection of the reversal is proposed.