Spin-orbit torques in locally and globally non-centrosymmetric crystals: antiferromagnets and ferromagnets

Železný, J., Gao, H., Manchon, Aurelien, Freimuth, F., Mokrousov, Y., Zemen, J., Mašek, J., Sinova, Jairo and Jungwirth, T. (2017) Spin-orbit torques in locally and globally non-centrosymmetric crystals: antiferromagnets and ferromagnets. Physical Review B, 95 (1). 014403/1-014403/18. ISSN 2469-9969

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Abstract

One of the main obstacles that prevents practical applications of antiferromagnets is the dfficulty of manipulating the magnetic order parameter. Recently, following the theoretical prediction [J. Železný et al., PRL 113, 157201 (2014)], the electrical switching of magnetic moments in an antiferromagnet has been demonstrated [P. Wadley et al., Science 351, 587 (2016)]. The switching is due to the so-called spin-orbit torque, which has been extensively studied in ferromagnets. In this phenomena a non-equilibrium spin-polarization exchange coupled to the ordered local moments is induced by current, hence exerting a torque on the order parameter. Here we give a general systematic analysis of the symmetry of the spin-orbit torque in locally and globally non-centrosymmetric crystals. We study when the symmetry allows or a nonzero torque, when is the torque effective, and its dependence on the applied current direction and orientation of magnetic moments. For comparison, we consider both antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic orders. In two representative model crystals we perform microscopic calculations of the spin-orbit torque to illustrate its symmetry properties and to highlight conditions under which the spin-orbit torque can be effcient for manipulating antiferromagnetic moments.

Item Type: Article
RIS ID: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/841860
Schools/Departments: University of Nottingham, UK > Faculty of Science > School of Physics and Astronomy
Identification Number: 10.1103/PhysRevB.95.014403
Depositing User: Eprints, Support
Date Deposited: 17 Jul 2017 10:19
Last Modified: 04 May 2020 18:31
URI: https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/44220

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