Orbital Hall Effect Enables Field-Free Magnetization Reversal in Ferrimagnets without Additional Conversion Layer

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that orbital Hall currents can induce field-free magnetization reversal in ferrimagnets without extra layers, offering a new energy-efficient approach for spintronics and orbitronics.

Contribution

The study introduces a novel method utilizing orbital Hall effect in Mo/CoGd devices for efficient, field-free magnetization switching without additional conversion layers.

Findings

Achieved deterministic switching with low critical current density (2.51×10^6 A/cm^2).

Validated in-plane symmetry breaking via planar Hall effect.

Showed dual role of CoGd in converting orbital to spin currents and self-switching.

Abstract

The spin Hall effect (SHE) enables efficient electrical manipulation of magnetization through the spin Hall current \left(\mathbit{J}_{\mathbit{SHE}}\right), advancing energy-efficient spintronics. In parallel, the orbital Hall effect (OHE) offers an alternative pathway to SHE for converting charge current into an angular momentum flow. In this study, we demonstrate field-free current-induced perpendicular ferrimagnetic deterministic switching within a Mo/CoGd device without an additional orbital-to-spin conversion layer. This is achieved by harnessing localized orbital Hall currents \left(\mathbit{J}_{\mathbit{OHE}}\right) generated in the Mo layer. The in-plane symmetry breaking at the Mo/CoGd surface-interface layer, validated by a pronounced planar Hall effect, gives rise to a substantial unconventional z-polarized damping-like torque. The CoGd serves a dual role: not only as a converter that transforms the significant \mathbit{J}_{\mathbit{OHE}} into \mathbit{J}_{\mathbit{SHE}} but also as a ferrimagnetic self-switching mechanism. This dual functionality enables highly efficient field-free current-induced magnetization switching with a critical current density as low as \mathbf{2}.\mathbf{51}\ \times{\mathbf{10}}^\mathbf{6} A cm-2. Our work highlights the potential of orbital Hall currents for energy-efficient magnetization switching, making a notable contribution to the burgeoning field of orbitronics.