Electrical control of antiferromagnetic metals

Abstract

We demonstrate a reversible electrical control ot exchange spring in IrMn antiferromagnet (AFM), using an ionic liquid to exert a substantial electric-field. When coupled to Co/Pt, the exchange bias is manipulated with gate voltage via the tune of the exchange spring, which could transfer the “force” to the ferromagnet/AFM interface, enabling a deeper modulation depth with the IrMn thickness up to 5 nm. Besides the fundamental significance of modulating the spin structures in metallic AFM via all-electrical fashion, it would advance the development of low-power-consumption AFM spintronics.