Effect of interfacial intermixing on spin-orbit torque in Co/Pt bilayers

TL;DR

This study uses first-principles calculations to show that interfacial intermixing in Co/Pt bilayers significantly enhances the fieldlike spin-orbit torque, offering a way to tune torque ratios via interface engineering.

Contribution

It provides a detailed first-principles analysis of how interfacial intermixing affects spin-orbit torques in Co/Pt bilayers, highlighting the potential for interface engineering.

Findings

Intermixing moderately enhances dampinglike torque.

Intermixing strongly enhances fieldlike torque, making it comparable to dampinglike torque.

The behavior is similar for (111) and (001) oriented interfaces.

Abstract

Using the first-principles non-equilibrium Green's function technique with supercell disorder averaging, we study the influence of interfacial intermixing on the spin-orbit torque in Co$\mid$Pt bilayers. Intermixing is modeled by inserting one or more monolayers of a disordered CoPt alloy between Co and Pt. Dampinglike torque is moderately enhanced by interfacial intermixing, while the fieldlike torque, which is small for abrupt interfaces, is strongly enhanced and becomes comparable to the dampinglike torque. The enhancement of the fieldlike torque is attributed to the interface between Co and the intermixed region. The planar Hall-like torque increases with intermixing but remains relatively small. The behavior of the torques is similar for bilayers with (111) and (001)-oriented interfaces. Strong dependence of the fieldlike torque on intermixing could provide a way to tune the fieldlike-to-dampinglike torque ratio by interface engineering.