Manipulation of antiferromagnetic(AFM) spins by electrical means is on great demand to develop the AFM spintronics with low power consumption. Here we report a reversible electrical control of antiferromagnetic moment...Manipulation of antiferromagnetic(AFM) spins by electrical means is on great demand to develop the AFM spintronics with low power consumption. Here we report a reversible electrical control of antiferromagnetic moments of FeMn up to 15 nm, using an ionic liquid to exert a substantial electric-field effect. The manipulation is demonstrated by the modulation of exchange spring in[Co/Pt]/FeMn system, where AFM moments in FeMn pin the magnetization rotation of Co/Pt. By carrier injection or extraction,the magnetic anisotropy of the top layer in FeMn is modulated to influence the whole exchange spring and then passes its influence to the [Co/Pt]/FeMn interface, through a distance up to the length of exchange spring that fully screens electric field. Comparing FeMn to IrMn, despite the opposite dependence of exchange bias on gate voltages, the same correlation between carrier density and exchange spring stiffness is demonstrated. Besides the fundamental significance of modulating the spin structures in metallic AFM via all-electrical fashion, the present finding would advance the development of low-power-consumption AFM spintronics.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.51322101,51231004 and 51571128)the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(Grant No.2014AA032904)
文摘Manipulation of antiferromagnetic(AFM) spins by electrical means is on great demand to develop the AFM spintronics with low power consumption. Here we report a reversible electrical control of antiferromagnetic moments of FeMn up to 15 nm, using an ionic liquid to exert a substantial electric-field effect. The manipulation is demonstrated by the modulation of exchange spring in[Co/Pt]/FeMn system, where AFM moments in FeMn pin the magnetization rotation of Co/Pt. By carrier injection or extraction,the magnetic anisotropy of the top layer in FeMn is modulated to influence the whole exchange spring and then passes its influence to the [Co/Pt]/FeMn interface, through a distance up to the length of exchange spring that fully screens electric field. Comparing FeMn to IrMn, despite the opposite dependence of exchange bias on gate voltages, the same correlation between carrier density and exchange spring stiffness is demonstrated. Besides the fundamental significance of modulating the spin structures in metallic AFM via all-electrical fashion, the present finding would advance the development of low-power-consumption AFM spintronics.
