Janus Monolayers of Magnetic Transition Metal Dichalcogenides as an All-in-One Platform for Spin-Orbit Torque

TL;DR

This paper predicts that vanadium-based Janus monolayers of magnetic transition metal dichalcogenides are promising for spin-orbit-torque memory devices due to their strong magnetic properties and Rashba-like spin-orbit coupling.

Contribution

It introduces vanadium-based Janus dichalcogenide monolayers as a new all-in-one platform for spin-orbit torque applications, with detailed first principles and quantum transport analysis.

Findings

Higher magnetic exchange and anisotropy energies with heavier chalcogens

Rashba-like spin-orbit coupling due to broken inversion symmetry

Spin-orbit torque efficiency comparable to heavy metals

Abstract

We theoretically predict that vanadium-based Janus dichalcogenide monolayers constitute an ideal platform for spin-orbit-torque memories. Using first principles calculations, we demonstrate that magnetic exchange and magnetic anisotropy energies are higher for heavier chalcogen atoms, while the broken inversion symmetry in the Janus form leads to the emergence of Rashba-like spin-orbit coupling. The spin-orbit torque efficiency is evaluated using optimized quantum transport methodology and found to be comparable to heavy nonmagnetic metals. The coexistence of magnetism and spin-orbit coupling in such materials with tunable Fermi-level opens new possibilities for monitoring magnetization dynamics in the perspective of non-volatile magnetic random access memories.