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Breakthrough in Antiferromagnetic Spintronics by University of Nebraska Researchers

Researchers from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln have made significant strides in the field of antiferromagnetic spintronics, a technology that has the potential to enhance the capabilities of nanotechnology by reducing power requirements.

By introducing boron, a process known as B-doping, into magnetoelectric oxides, the team has developed a method to control magnetic fields at elevated temperatures typical of electronic applications. This development has been described by Christian Binek, the Charles Bessey Professor of physics, as a long-sought “holy grail” in this area of research.

The findings are documented in a study published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials.

Over the past thirty years, the field of spintronics has achieved numerous groundbreaking discoveries, yet a persistent challenge has been to identify a quantum material that allows for modifications of its magnetic states strictly through electronic means, especially at temperatures exceeding room temperature.

The material under investigation by the Nebraska team, chromium oxide with added boron, shows promise for paving the way toward the development of digital memory and processors that may operate with significantly lower power consumption and potentially increased speeds compared to existing technologies.

Chromium oxide is characterized by antiferromagnetism, where alternating atomic columns have opposite magnetic orientations, effectively neutralizing their magnetic fields. Although chromium oxide previously allowed for voltage manipulation of its antiferromagnetic order, this approach was limited to lower temperatures and required the application of a symmetry-breaking magnetic field.

Abdelghani Laraoui, an assistant professor of mechanical and materials engineering and a member of the research team, created a method to evaluate the effectiveness of the boron-doping strategy using nitrogen vacancy scanning probe microscopy. This innovative technique permits researchers to visualize boundary magnetization directly and observe the effects of B-doping.

Laraoui noted that this imaging approach validates concepts that had previously been speculative, enhancing the understanding of this process. Christian Binek, who also directs the Emergent Quantum Materials and Technologies collaboration (EQUATE), indicated that Laraoui’s imaging system provides crucial insights into the effects of boron-doping on spin reversal.

For additional reading:
Adam Erickson et al, Imaging Local Effects of Voltage and Boron Doping on Spin Reversal in Antiferromagnetic Magnetoelectric Cr2O3 Thin Films and Devices, Advanced Functional Materials (2024). DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202408542

Source
phys.org