2017 journal article

Currentless reversal of Neel vector in antiferromagnets

PHYSICAL REVIEW B, 95(1).

By: Y. Semenov n, X. Li n & K. Kim n

co-author countries: United States of America 🇺🇸
Source: Web Of Science
Added: August 6, 2018

The bias driven perpendicular magnetic anisotropy is a magneto-electric effect that can realize 90$^\circ$ magnetization rotation and even 180$% ^\circ $ flip along the easy axis in the ferromagnets with a minimal energy consumption. This study theoretically demonstrates a similar phenomenon of the N\'{e}el vector reversal via a short electrical pulse that can mediate perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in the antiferromagnets. The analysis based on the dynamical equations as well as the micro-magnetic simulations reveals the important role of the inertial behavior in the antiferromagnets that facilitates the N\'{e}el vector to overcome the barrier between two free-energy minima of the bistable states along the easy axis. In contrast to the ferromagnets, this N\'{e}el vector reversal does not accompany angular moment transfer to the environment, leading to acceleration in the dynamical response by a few orders of magnitude. Further, a small switching energy requirement of a few attojoules illustrates an added advantage of the phenomenon in low-power spintronic applications.