Voltage Controlled Spin-Orbit Torque Switching in W/CoFeB/MgO

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates voltage-controlled spin-orbit torque switching in W/CoFeB/MgO films, showing significant reduction in switching current and magnetic anisotropy, advancing the development of voltage-tunable spintronic devices.

Contribution

It introduces a method for voltage control of SOT switching in W/CoFeB/MgO films using SrTiO3, with notable reductions in PMA and switching current.

Findings

PMA reduced by 45% with voltage application

Switching current decreased by 23%

Enhanced damping-like torque observed

Abstract

Voltage control of magnetism and spintronics have been highly desirable, but rarely realized. In this work, we show voltage-controlled spin-orbit torque (SOT) switching in W/CoFeB/MgO films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) with voltage administered through SrTiO3 with a high dielectric constant. We show that a DC voltage can significantly lower PMA by 45%, reduce switching current by 23%, and increase the damping-like torque as revealed by the first and second-harmonic measurements. These are characteristics that are prerequisites for voltage-controlled and voltage-select SOT switching spintronic devices.