Modulation of Spin–Orbit Torque from SrRuO3 by Epitaxial-Strain-Induced Octahedral Rotation

Abstract

Spin–orbit torque (SOT), which arises from the spin–orbit coupling of conduction electrons, is believed to be the key route for developing low-power, high-speed, and nonvolatile memory devices. Despite the theoretical prediction of pronounced Berry phase curvatures in certain transition-metal perovskite oxides, which lead to considerable intrinsic spin Hall conductivity, SOT from this class of materials has rarely been reported until recently. Here, the SOT generated by epitaxial SrRuO₃ of three different crystal structures is systematically studied. The results of both spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance and in-plane harmonic Hall voltage measurements concurrently reveal that the intrinsic SOT efficiency of SrRuO₃ decreases when the epitaxial strain changes from tensile to compressive. The X-ray diffraction data demonstrate a strong correlation between the magnitude of SOT and octahedral rotation around the in-plane axes of SrRuO₃, consistent with the theoretical prediction. This work offers new possibilities of tuning SOT with crystal structures and novel opportunities of integrating the unique properties of perovskite oxides with spintronic functionalities.