Enhancement of spin-orbit torque efficiency by tailoring interfacial spin-orbit coupling in Pt-based magnetic multilayers

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that tailoring the interfacial spin-orbit coupling in Pt/Co/Py multilayers significantly enhances spin-orbit torque efficiencies, offering a pathway for low-power spintronic device development.

Contribution

It provides a detailed characterization of interfacial spin-orbit coupling effects on SOTs in Pt/Co/Py multilayers and reveals how interface engineering boosts SOT efficiency.

Findings

Enhanced damping-like and field-like SOT efficiencies in Pt/Co/Py compared to Pt/Py.

Interfacial Rashba-Edelstein effect driven by strong ISOC at Pt/Co interface.

Observation of out-of-plane spin polarization SOT due to spin Hall and precession effects.

Abstract

We study inserting Co layer thickness-dependent spin transport and spin-orbit torques (SOTs) in the Pt/Co/Py trilayers by spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance. The interfacial perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy density ($K_s = 2.7~erg/cm^2$), which is dominated by interfacial spin-orbit coupling (ISOC) in the Pt/Co interface, total effective spin-mixing conductance ($G_{eff,tot} = 0.42 {\times} 10^{15}~{\Omega}^{-1} m^{-2}$) and two-magnon scattering (${\beta}_{TMS} = 0.46~nm^2$) are first characterized, and the damping-like torque (${\xi}_{DL}$ = 0.103) and field-like torque (${\xi}_{FL}$ = -0.017) efficiencies are also calculated quantitatively by varying the thickness of the inserting Co layer. The significant enhancement of ${\xi}_{DL}$ and ${\xi}_{FL}$ in Pt/Co/Py than Pt/Py bilayer system originates from the interfacial Rashba-Edelstein effect due to the strong ISOC between Co-3d and Pt-5d orbitals at the Pt/Co interface. Additionally, we find a considerable out-of-plane spin polarization SOT, which is ascribed to the spin anomalous Hall effect and possible spin precession effect due to IPMA-induced perpendicular magnetization at the Pt/Co interface. Our results demonstrate that the ISOC of the Pt/Co interface plays a vital role in spin transport and SOTs-generation. Our finds offer an alternative approach to improve the conventional SOTs efficiencies and generate unconventional SOTs with out-of-plane spin polarization to develop low power Pt-based spintronic via tailoring the Pt/FM interface.