Octupole-driven magnetoresistance in an antiferromagnetic tunnel junction.

The tunnelling electric current passing through a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) is strongly dependent on the relative orientation of magnetizations in ferromagnetic electrodes sandwiching an insulating barrier, rendering efficient readout of spintronics devices1-5. Thus, tunnelling magnetoresistance (TMR) is considered to be proportional to spin polarization at the interface1 and, to date, has been studied primarily in ferromagnets. Here we report observation of TMR in an all-antiferromagnetic tunnel junction consisting of Mn3Sn/MgO/Mn3Sn (ref. 6). We measured a TMR ratio of around 2% at room temperature, which arises between the parallel and antiparallel configurations of the cluster magnetic octupoles in the chiral antiferromagnetic state. Moreover, we carried out measurements using a Fe/MgO/Mn3Sn MTJ and show that the sign and direction of anisotropic longitudinal spin-polarized current in the antiferromagnet7 can be controlled by octupole direction. Strikingly, the TMR ratio (about 2%) of the all-antiferromagnetic MTJ is much larger than that estimated using the observed spin polarization. Theoretically, we found that the chiral antiferromagnetic MTJ may produce a substantially large TMR ratio as a result of the time-reversal, symmetry-breaking polarization characteristic of cluster magnetic octupoles. Our work lays the foundation for the development of ultrafast and efficient spintronic devices using antiferromagnets8-10.

Perpendicular full switching of chiral antiferromagnetic order by current.

Electrical control of a magnetic state of matter lays the foundation for information technologies and for understanding of spintronic phenomena. Spin-orbit torque provides an efficient mechanism for the electrical manipulation of magnetic orders1-11. In particular, spin-orbit torque switching of perpendicular magnetization in nanoscale ferromagnetic bits has enabled the development of stable, reliable and low-power memories and computation12-14. Likewise, for antiferromagnetic spintronics, electrical bidirectional switching of an antiferromagnetic order in a perpendicular geometry may have huge impacts, given its potential advantage for high-density integration and ultrafast operation15,16. Here we report the experimental realization of perpendicular and full spin-orbit torque switching of an antiferromagnetic binary state. We use the chiral antiferromagnet Mn3Sn (ref. 17), which exhibits the magnetization-free anomalous Hall effect owing to a ferroic order of a cluster magnetic octupole hosted in its chiral antiferromagnetic state18. We fabricate heavy-metal/Mn3Sn heterostructures by molecular beam epitaxy and introduce perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of the octupole using an epitaxial in-plane tensile strain. By using the anomalous Hall effect as the readout, we demonstrate 100 per cent switching of the perpendicular octupole polarization in a 30-nanometre-thick Mn3Sn film with a small critical current density of less than 15 megaamperes per square centimetre. Our theory reveals that the perpendicular geometry between the polarization directions of current-induced spin accumulation and of the octupole persistently maximizes the spin-orbit torque efficiency during the deterministic bidirectional switching process. Our work provides a significant basis for antiferromagnetic spintronics.

Electrical manipulation of a topological antiferromagnetic state.

Electrical manipulation of phenomena generated by nontrivial band topology is essential for the development of next-generation technology using topological protection. A Weyl semimetal is a three-dimensional gapless system that hosts Weyl fermions as low-energy quasiparticles1-4. It has various exotic properties, such as a large anomalous Hall effect (AHE) and chiral anomaly, which are robust owing to the topologically protected Weyl nodes1-16. To manipulate such phenomena, a magnetic version of Weyl semimetals would be useful for controlling the locations of Weyl nodes in the Brillouin zone. Moreover, electrical manipulation of antiferromagnetic Weyl metals would facilitate the use of antiferromagnetic spintronics to realize high-density devices with ultrafast operation17,18. However, electrical control of a Weyl metal has not yet been reported. Here we demonstrate the electrical switching of a topological antiferromagnetic state and its detection by the AHE at room temperature in a polycrystalline thin film19 of the antiferromagnetic Weyl metal Mn3Sn9,10,12,20, which exhibits zero-field AHE. Using bilayer devices composed of Mn3Sn and nonmagnetic metals, we find that an electrical current density of about 1010 to 1011 amperes per square metre induces magnetic switching in the nonmagnetic metals, with a large change in Hall voltage. In addition, the current polarity along the bias field and the sign of the spin Hall angle of the nonmagnetic metals-positive for Pt (ref. 21), close to 0 for Cu and negative for W (ref. 22)-determines the sign of the Hall voltage. Notably, the electrical switching in the antiferromagnet is achieved with the same protocol as that used for ferromagnetic metals23,24. Our results may lead to further scientific and technological advances in topological magnetism and antiferromagnetic spintronics.

Author Correction: Iron-based binary ferromagnets for transverse thermoelectric conversion.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Iron-based binary ferromagnets for transverse thermoelectric conversion.

Thermoelectric generation using the anomalous Nernst effect (ANE) has great potential for application in energy harvesting technology because the transverse geometry of the Nernst effect should enable efficient, large-area and flexible coverage of a heat source. For such applications to be viable, substantial improvements will be necessary not only for their performance but also for the associated material costs, safety and stability. In terms of the electronic structure, the anomalous Nernst effect (ANE) originates from the Berry curvature of the conduction electrons near the Fermi energy1,2. To design a large Berry curvature, several approaches have been considered using nodal points and lines in momentum space3-10. Here we perform a high-throughput computational search and find that 25 percent doping of aluminium and gallium in alpha iron, a naturally abundant and low-cost element, dramatically enhances the ANE by a factor of more than ten, reaching about 4 and 6 microvolts per kelvin at room temperature, respectively, close to the highest value reported so far. The comparison between experiment and theory indicates that the Fermi energy tuning to the nodal web-a flat band structure made of interconnected nodal lines-is the key for the strong enhancement in the transverse thermoelectric coefficient, reaching a value of about 5 amperes per kelvin per metre with a logarithmic temperature dependence. We have also succeeded in fabricating thin films that exhibit a large ANE at zero field, which could be suitable for designing low-cost, flexible microelectronic thermoelectric generators11-13.

Observation of Cluster Magnetic Octupole Domains in the Antiferromagnetic Weyl Semimetal Mn_{3}Sn Nanowire.

The antiferromagnetic Weyl semimetal Mn_{3}Sn has attracted wide attention due to its vast anomalous transverse transport properties despite barely any net magnetization. So far, the magnetic properties of Mn_{3}Sn have been experimentally investigated on micrometer scale samples but not in nanometers. In this study, we measured the local anomalous Nernst effect of a (0001)-textured Mn_{3}Sn nanowire using a tip-contact-induced temperature gradient with an atomic force microscope. Our approach directly maps the distribution of the cluster magnetic octupole moments with 80 nm spatial resolution, providing crucial information for integrating the Mn_{3}Sn nanostructure into spintronic devices.

Ultrafast Dynamics of Intrinsic Anomalous Hall Effect in the Topological Antiferromagnet Mn_{3}Sn.

We investigate ultrafast dynamics of the anomalous Hall effect (AHE) in the topological antiferromagnet Mn_{3}Sn with sub-100 fs time resolution. Optical pulse excitations largely elevate the electron temperature up to 700 K, and terahertz probe pulses clearly resolve ultrafast suppression of the AHE before demagnetization. The result is well reproduced by microscopic calculation of the intrinsic Berry-curvature mechanism while the extrinsic contribution is clearly excluded. Our work opens a new avenue for the study of nonequilibrium AHE to identify the microscopic origin by drastic control of the electron temperature by light.

Large anomalous Hall effect in a non-collinear antiferromagnet at room temperature.

In ferromagnetic conductors, an electric current may induce a transverse voltage drop in zero applied magnetic field: this anomalous Hall effect is observed to be proportional to magnetization, and thus is not usually seen in antiferromagnets in zero field. Recent developments in theory and experiment have provided a framework for understanding the anomalous Hall effect using Berry-phase concepts, and this perspective has led to predictions that, under certain conditions, a large anomalous Hall effect may appear in spin liquids and antiferromagnets without net spin magnetization. Although such a spontaneous Hall effect has now been observed in a spin liquid state, a zero-field anomalous Hall effect has hitherto not been reported for antiferromagnets. Here we report empirical evidence for a large anomalous Hall effect in an antiferromagnet that has vanishingly small magnetization. In particular, we find that Mn3Sn, an antiferromagnet that has a non-collinear 120-degree spin order, exhibits a large anomalous Hall conductivity of around 20 per ohm per centimetre at room temperature and more than 100 per ohm per centimetre at low temperatures, reaching the same order of magnitude as in ferromagnetic metals. Notably, the chiral antiferromagnetic state has a very weak and soft ferromagnetic moment of about 0.002 Bohr magnetons per Mn atom (refs 10, 12), allowing us to switch the sign of the Hall effect with a small magnetic field of around a few hundred oersted. This soft response of the large anomalous Hall effect could be useful for various applications including spintronics--for example, to develop a memory device that produces almost no perturbing stray fields.

Impact of the Lattice on Magnetic Properties and Possible Spin Nematicity in the S=1 Triangular Antiferromagnet NiGa_{2}S_{4}.

NiGa_{2}S_{4} is a triangular lattice S=1 system with strong two dimensionality of the lattice, actively discussed as a candidate to host spin-nematic order brought about by strong quadrupole coupling. Using Raman scattering spectroscopy we identify a phonon of E_{g} symmetry which can modulate magnetic exchange J_{1} and produce quadrupole coupling. Additionally, our Raman scattering results demonstrate a loss of local inversion symmetry on cooling, which we associate with sulfur vacancies. This will lead to disordered Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions, which can prevent long-range magnetic order. Using magnetic Raman scattering response we identify 160 K as a temperature of an upturn of magnetic correlations. The temperature range below 160 K, but above 50 K where antiferromagnetic correlations start to increase, is a candidate for spin-nematic regime.

Observation of Omnidirectional Exchange Bias at All-Antiferromagnetic Polycrystalline Heterointerface.

Due to promising functionalities that may dramatically enhance spintronics performance, antiferromagnets are the subject of intensive research for developing the next-generation active elements to replace ferromagnets. In particular, the recent experimental demonstration of tunneling magnetoresistance and electrical switching using chiral antiferromagnets has sparked expectations for the practical integration of antiferromagnetic materials into device architectures. To further develop the technology to manipulate the magnetic anisotropies in all-antiferromagnetic devices, it is essential to realize exchange bias through the interface between antiferromagnetic multilayers. Here, the first observation on the omnidirectional exchange bias at an all-antiferromagnetic polycrystalline heterointerface is reported. This experiment demonstrates that the interfacial energy causing the exchange bias between the chiral-antiferromagnet Mn3Sn/collinear-antiferromagnet MnN layers is comparable to those found at the conventional ferromagnet/antiferromagnet interface at room temperature. In sharp contrast with previous reports using ferromagnets, the magnetic field control of the unidirectional anisotropy is found to be omnidirectional due to the absence of the shape anisotropy in the antiferromagnetic multilayer. The realization of the omnidirectional exchange bias at the interface between polycrystalline antiferromagnets on amorphous templates, highly compatible with existing Si-based devices, paves the way for developing ultra-low power and ultra-high speed memory devices based on antiferromagnets.

Current-driven fast magnetic octupole domain-wall motion in noncollinear antiferromagnets.

Antiferromagnets (AFMs) have the natural advantages of terahertz spin dynamics and negligible stray fields, thus appealing for use in domain-wall applications. However, their insensitive magneto-electric responses make controlling them in domain-wall devices challenging. Recent research on noncollinear chiral AFMs Mn3X (X = Sn, Ge) enabled us to detect and manipulate their magnetic octupole domain states. Here, we demonstrate a current-driven fast magnetic octupole domain-wall (MODW) motion in Mn3X. The magneto-optical Kerr observation reveals the Néel-like MODW of Mn3Ge can be accelerated up to 750 m s-1 with a current density of only 7.56 × 1010 A m-2 without external magnetic fields. The MODWs show extremely high mobility with a small critical current density. We theoretically extend the spin-torque phenomenology for domain-wall dynamics from collinear to noncollinear magnetic systems. Our study opens a new route for antiferromagnetic domain-wall-based applications.

Roll-to-Roll Printing of Anomalous Nernst Thermopile for Direct Sensing of Perpendicular Heat Flux.

The anomalous Nernst effect (ANE) converts heat flux perpendicular to the plane into electricity, in sharp contrast with the Seebeck effect (SE), enabling mass production, large area, and flexibility of their devices through ordinary thin-film fabrication techniques. Heat flux sensors, one of the most promising applications of ANE, are powerful devices for evaluating heat flow and can lead to energy savings through efficient thermal management. In reality, however, SE caused by the in-plane heat flux is always superimposed on the measurement signal, making it difficult to evaluate the perpendicular heat flux. Here, ANE-type heat flux sensors that selectively detect a perpendicular heat flux are fabricated by adjusting the net Seebeck coefficient in their thermopile circuit with mass-producible roll-to-roll sputtering methods. The direct sensing of perpendicular heat flux using ANE-based flexible thermopiles, as well as their simple fabrication process, paves the way for the practical application of thin-film thermoelectric devices.

Giant field-like torque by the out-of-plane magnetic spin Hall effect in a topological antiferromagnet.

Spin-orbit torques (SOT) enable efficient electrical control of the magnetic state of ferromagnets, ferrimagnets and antiferromagnets. However, the conventional SOT has severe limitation that only in-plane spins accumulate near the surface, whether interpreted as a spin Hall effect (SHE) or as an Edelstein effect. Such a SOT is not suitable for controlling perpendicular magnetization, which would be more beneficial for realizing low-power-consumption memory devices. Here we report the observation of a giant magnetic-field-like SOT in a topological antiferromagnet Mn3Sn, whose direction and size can be tuned by changing the order parameter direction of the antiferromagnet. To understand the magnetic SHE (MSHE)- and the conventional SHE-induced SOTs on an equal footing, we formulate them as interface spin-electric-field responses and analyzed using a macroscopic symmetry analysis and a complementary microscopic quantum kinetic theory. In this framework, the large out-of-plane spin accumulation due to the MSHE has an inter-band origin and is likely to be caused by the large momentum-dependent spin splitting in Mn3Sn. Our work demonstrates the unique potential of antiferromagnetic Weyl semimetals in overcoming the limitations of conventional SOTs and in realizing low-power spintronics devices with new functionalities.

Room-temperature terahertz anomalous Hall effect in Weyl antiferromagnet Mn3Sn thin films.

Antiferromagnetic spin motion at terahertz (THz) frequencies attracts growing interests for fast spintronics, however, their smaller responses to external field inhibit device application. Recently the noncollinear antiferromagnet Mn3Sn, a Weyl semimetal candidate, was reported to show large anomalous Hall effect (AHE) at room temperature comparable to ferromagnets. Dynamical aspect of such large responses is an important issue to be clarified for future THz data processing. Here the THz anomalous Hall conductivity in Mn3Sn thin films is investigated by polarization-resolved spectroscopy. Large anomalous Hall conductivity [Formula: see text] at THz frequencies is clearly observed as polarization rotation. A peculiar temperature dependence corresponding to the breaking/recovery of symmetry in the spin texture is also discussed. Observation of the THz AHE at room temperature demonstrates the ultrafast readout for the antiferromagnetic spintronics using Mn3Sn, and will also open new avenue for studying nonequilibrium dynamics in Weyl antiferromagnets.

Large magneto-optical Kerr effect and imaging of magnetic octupole domains in an antiferromagnetic metal.

When a polarized light beam is incident upon the surface of a magnetic material, the reflected light undergoes a polarization rotation1. This magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) has been intensively studied in a variety of ferro- and ferrimagnetic materials because it provides a powerful probe for electronic and magnetic properties2, 3 as well as for various applications including magneto-optical recording4. Recently, there has been a surge of interest in antiferromagnets (AFMs) as prospective spintronic materials for high-density and ultrafast memory devices, owing to their vanishingly small stray field and orders of magnitude faster spin dynamics compared to their ferromagnetic counterparts5-9. In fact, the MOKE has proven useful for the study and application of the antiferromagnetic (AF) state. Although limited to insulators, certain types of AFMs are known to exhibit a large MOKE, as they are weak ferromagnets due to canting of the otherwise collinear spin structure10-14. Here we report the first observation of a large MOKE signal in an AF metal at room temperature. In particular, we find that despite a vanishingly small magnetization of M ~0.002 µB/Mn, the non-collinear AF metal Mn3Sn15 exhibits a large zero-field MOKE with a polar Kerr rotation angle of 20 milli-degrees, comparable to ferromagnetic metals. Our first-principles calculations have clarified that ferroic ordering of magnetic octupoles in the non-collinear Néel state16 may cause a large MOKE even in its fully compensated AF state without spin magnetization. This large MOKE further allows imaging of the magnetic octupole domains and their reversal induced by magnetic field. The observation of a large MOKE in an AF metal should open new avenues for the study of domain dynamics as well as spintronics using AFMs.