Detection and manipulation of the antiferromagnetic Néel vector in Cr2 O3
Journal
Physical Review B
Journal Volume
105
Journal Issue
9
Date Issued
2022-03-01
Author(s)
Abstract
Detection and manipulation of the Néel vector in antiferromagnetic materials are promising for more stable, faster, and much higher-density spintronic devices. However, the electrical manipulation of the antiferromagnetic Néel vector remains challenging and controversial due to the difficulty in the detection of the zero net magnetization and the unavoidable complications from thermal artifacts. In this work, by utilizing the uniaxial antiferromagnet (AFM) Cr2O3, we demonstrate the detection and manipulation of the antiferromagnetic Néel vector. We reveal unambiguously the spin-dependent electrical responses of the coherent Cr2O3 Néel vector switching, where a symmetric Hall signal and a fourfold angular-dependent magnetoresistance are captured. We also demonstrate the in-plane arbitrary manipulation of the Cr2O3 Néel vector when the magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy is compensated. Our work for detecting and manipulating Néel vectors offers a critical guide for antiferromagnetic-based Néel vector switching exploration.
SDGs
Type
journal article