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Electrical Manipulation of Spin Splitting Torque in Altermagnetic RuO2

Materials Science 2024-12-24 v1

Abstract

Due to nonrelativistic altermagnetic spin splitting effect (ASSE), altermagnets can generate time-reversal-odd spin current and spin splitting torque (SST) with spin polarization parallel to the N\'eel vector. Hence the effective manipulation of SST would provide plenty of opportunities for designable spintronic devices, which remains elusive. Here, the electrical control of SST is achieved in altermagnetic RuO2, based on controllable N\'eel vector of RuO2 and N\'eel vector-dependent generation of SST. We demonstrate the current-induced switching of N\'eel vector via spin-orbit torque in RuO2 films, according to the reversible polarity of electrical transport measurements and X-ray magnetic linear dichroism (XMLD). The XMLD also unprecedentedly demonstrates that N\'eel vector really exists in altermagnets. The switching of N\'eel vector to the current direction and resultantly enhanced spin polarization parallel to the N\'eel vector brings about stronger ASSE-induced spin current. Our findings not only enrich the properties of altermagnets but also pave the way for high speed memories and nano-oscillators with excellent controllability and efficiency.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2412.17013,
  title  = {Electrical Manipulation of Spin Splitting Torque in Altermagnetic RuO2},
  author = {Yichi Zhang and Hua Bai and Lei Han and Jiankun Dai and Chong Chen and Shixuan Liang and Yanzhang Cao and Yingying Zhang and Qian Wang and Wenxuan Zhu and Feng Pan and Cheng Song},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2412.17013},
  year   = {2024}
}

Comments

22 pages, 3 figures