English

Flexible orbital torque device with ultralow switching current

Materials Science 2025-08-27 v1

Abstract

Orbital torque (OT) offers a highly efficient way for electrical magnetization manipulation. However, its potential in the emerging field of flexible spintronics remains largely unexplored. Here, we demonstrate a flexible and robust OT device based on a mica/SrRuO3(SRO)/CoPt heterostructure. We measure a large torque efficiency of -0.31, which originates from the significant orbital Hall effect in the SRO layer. Leveraging the low thermal conductivity of the mica substrate, a thermally-assisted switching mechanism is activated, enabling an ultralow threshold current density of 9.2x109 A/m2. This value represents a 90% reduction compared to conventional spin-torque devices and a 52% reduction against its rigid counterpart on a SrTiO3 substrate. The superior performances is well-maintained after 103 bending cycles, conforming its exceptional flexibility and durability. Our work pioneers the development of flexible OT devices, showcasing a viable path toward next-generation, low-power wearable spintronic applications.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2508.18746,
  title  = {Flexible orbital torque device with ultralow switching current},
  author = {Liguang Gong and Jian Song and Bin Lao and Run-Wei Li and Zhiming Wang},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2508.18746},
  year   = {2025}
}
R2 v1 2026-07-01T05:05:55.981Z