Electrical control of the perpendicular magnetization in Pt/[Co/Ni]3/Al multilayers (Presentation Recording)

The spin to charge current conversion (SCCC) due to spin-orbit coupling (SOC) opens the way to manipulate the magnetization by electrical means. SCCC results either from bulk effects, in particular through Spin Hall Effect (SHE) [1-3], or from interfacial effects, for example in our recent experimental discovery of Rashba-Edelstein Effect (REE) [4]. We have investigated the SCCC by SHE in metals such as Pt [1,2], Au and AuW [3]. In the case of 2D systems, we recently demonstrated a large SCCC efficiency in Rashba type Ag/Bi interface [4]. An even larger effect can be even anticipated if topological insulators are used. We will present a practical application of this SCCC to control the magnetization due to the spin-orbit torque induced by SHE [5-8], and focus on the case of Pt/(Co/Ni)3/Al multilayers with perpendicular magnetization. Using both the anomalous Hall Effect and Kerr experiments in patterned Hall bars, we are able to establish a scenario for the reversal mechanism involving domain wall motions and spin-orbit torques induced by SHE in Pt. [1] J-C. Rojas-Sanchez et al. PRL 112, 106602 (2014). [2] J.-C. Rojas-Sánchez et al. SPIE 9167, Spintronics VII, 916729 (2014). [3] P. Laczkowski et al. APL 104, 142403 (2014). [4] J C Rojas Sánchez et al. Nat. Comm. 4:2944 (2013). [5] A. V. Khvalkovskiy et al. PRB 87, 020402 (2013). [6] I. M. Miron et al. Nature 476, 189 (2011). [7] L. Liu et al. PRL 109, 096602 (2012). [8] N. Perez et al. APL 104, 092403 (2014).