Wireless magneto-ionics: voltage control of magnetism by bipolar electrochemistry

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates wireless voltage control of magnetism in cobalt nitride films via bipolar electrochemistry, enabling magnetic state tuning without direct electrical contact, with potential applications in bioelectronics and neuromorphic computing.

Contribution

It introduces a wireless bipolar electrochemistry method to modulate magnetism, expanding the possibilities for low-power, contactless magnetic control in spintronic devices.

Findings

Achieved significant magnetization tunability in cobalt nitride films.

Demonstrated transitions between paramagnetic and ferromagnetic states.

Showed effects can be volatile or non-volatile depending on configuration.

Abstract

Modulation of magnetic properties through voltage-driven ion motion and redox processes, i.e., magneto-ionics, is a unique approach to control magnetism with electric field for low-power memory and spintronic applications. So far, magneto-ionics has been achieved through direct electrical connections to the actuated material. Here we evidence that an alternative way to reach such control exists in a wireless manner. Induced polarization in the conducting material immersed in the electrolyte, without direct wire contact, promotes wireless bipolar electrochemistry, an alternative pathway to achieve voltage-driven control of magnetism based on the same electrochemical processes involved in direct-contact magneto-ionics. A significant tunability of magnetization is accomplished for cobalt nitride thin films, including transitions between paramagnetic and ferromagnetic states. Such effects can be either volatile or non-volatile depending on the electrochemical cell configuration. These results represent a fundamental breakthrough that may inspire future device designs for applications in bioelectronics, catalysis, neuromorphic computing, or wireless communications.