Spintronique et Technologie des Composants

Spintronics utilizing antiferromagnetic materials has potential for the next generation of applications and offers opportunities for new ideas. Ultimately, antiferromagnets could replace ferromagnets as the active spin-dependent element on which spintronic devices are based. Central to this endeavor is the need for predictive models, relevant disruptive materials, and new experimental designs. This paper reviews spintronic effects described based on theoretical and experimental analysis of antiferromagnetic materials.

Colloidal core/shell nanocrystals contain at least two semiconductor materials in an onionlike structure. The possibility to tune the basic optical properties of the core nanocrystals, for example, their fluorescence wavelength, quantum yield, and lifetime, by growing an epitaxial-type shell of another semiconductor has fueled significant progress on the chemical synthesis of these systems. In such core/shell nanocrystals, the shell provides a physical barrier between the optically active core and the surrounding medium, thus making the nanocrystals less sensitive to environmental changes, surface chemistry, and photo-oxidation. The shell further provides an efficient passivation of the surface trap states, giving rise to a strongly enhanced fluorescence quantum yield. This effect is a fundamental prerequisite for the use of nanocrystals in applications such as biological labeling and light-emitting devices, which rely on their emission properties. Focusing on recent advances, this Review discusses the fundamental properties and synthesis methods of core/shell and core/multiple shell structures of II-VI, IV-VI, and III-V semiconductors.

Spintronics is one of the emerging fields for the next-generation nanoelectronic devices to reduce their power consumption and to increase their memory and processing capabilities. Such devices utilise the spin degree of freedom of electrons and/or holes, which can also interact with their orbital moments. In these devices, the spin polarisation is controlled either by magnetic layers used as spin-polarisers or analysers or via spin–orbit coupling. Spin waves can also be used to carry spin current. In this review, the fundamental physics of these phenomena is described first with respect to the spin generation methods as detailed in Sections 2 ~ 9. The recent development in their device applications then follows in Sections 10 and 11. Future perspectives are provided at the end.

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In spintronics devices, magnetic materials are used as polarizers or analyzers for electron spin. Magnetic anisotropy defines the orientation for magnetization and polarization of spin currents traversing the material. This review focuses on perpendicular magnetic anisotropy which arises at magnetic metal/oxide interfaces. This anisotropy plays a role in the magnetic memory based on magnetic tunnel junctions. Aspects of the anisotropy are described in various applications and in the field of spintronics research.

The Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) has been recently recognized to play a crucial role in allowing fast domain wall dynamics driven by spin-orbit torques and the generation of magnetic Skyrmions. Here, we unveil the main features and microscopic mechanisms of DMI in Co/Pt bilayers via first principles calculations. We find that the large DMI of the bilayers has a dominant contribution from the spins of the interfacial Co layer. This DMI between the interfacical Co spins extends very weakly away from the interface and is associated with a spin-orbit coupling in the adjacent atomic layer of Pt. Furthermore, no direct correlation is found between DMI and proximity induced magnetism in Pt. These results clarify the underlying mechanisms of DMI at interfaces between ferromagnetic and heavy metals and should help optimizing material combinations for domain wall and Skyrmion-based devices.

The perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) arising at the interface between ferromagnetic transition metals and metallic oxides was investigated via first-principles calculations. In this work very large values of PMA, up to 3 erg/cm${}^{2}$, at Fe$|$MgO interfaces are reported, in agreement with recent experiments. The origin of PMA is attributed to overlap between O-${p}_{z}$ and transition metal ${d}_{{z}^{2}}$ orbitals hybridized with ${d}_{xz(yz)}$ orbitals with stronger spin-orbit coupling-induced splitting around the Fermi level for perpendicular magnetization orientation. Furthermore, it is shown that the PMA value weakens in the case of over- or underoxidation due to the fact that oxygen ${p}_{z}$ and transition metal ${d}_{{z}^{2}}$ orbital overlap is strongly affected by disorder, in agreement with experimental observations in magnetic tunnel junctions.

We report on magnetic domain-wall velocity measurements in ultrathin Pt/Co(0.5-0.8 nm)/Pt films with perpendicular anisotropy over a large range of applied magnetic fields. The complete velocity-field characteristics are obtained, enabling an examination of the transition between thermally activated creep and viscous flow: motion regimes predicted from general theories for driven elastic interfaces in weakly disordered media. The dissipation limited flow regime is found to be consistent with precessional domain-wall motion, analysis of which yields values for the damping parameter, alpha.

Magnetic nanostructures are being developed for use in many aspects of our daily life, spanning areas such as data storage, sensing and biomedicine. Whereas patterned nanomagnets are traditionally two-dimensional planar structures, recent work is expanding nanomagnetism into three dimensions; a move triggered by the advance of unconventional synthesis methods and the discovery of new magnetic effects. In three-dimensional nanomagnets more complex magnetic configurations become possible, many with unprecedented properties. Here we review the creation of these structures and their implications for the emergence of new physics, the development of instrumentation and computational methods, and exploitation in numerous applications. Nanoscale magnetic devices play a key role in modern technologies but current applications involve only 2D structures like magnetic discs. Here the authors review recent progress in the fabrication and understanding of 3D magnetic nanostructures, enabling more diverse functionalities.

Spin-orbit torque (SOT) is an emerging technology that enables the efficient manipulation of spintronic devices. The initial processes of interest in SOTs involved electric fields, spin-orbit coupling, conduction electron spins, and magnetization. More recently, interest has grown to include a variety of other processes that include phonons, magnons, or heat. Over the past decade, many materials have been explored to achieve a larger SOT efficiency. Recently, holistic design to maximize the performance of SOT devices has extended material research from a nonmagnetic layer to a magnetic layer. The rapid development of SOT has spurred a variety of SOT-based applications. In this article, we first review the theories of SOTs by introducing the various mechanisms thought to generate or control SOTs, such as the spin Hall effect, the Rashba-Edelstein effect, the orbital Hall effect, thermal gradients, magnons, and strain effects. Then, we discuss the materials that enable these effects, including metals, metallic alloys, topological insulators, 2-D materials, and complex oxides. We also discuss the important roles in SOT devices of different types of magnetic layers, such as magnetic insulators, antiferromagnets, and ferrimagnets. Afterward, we discuss device applications utilizing SOTs. We discuss and compare three- and two-terminal SOT-magnetoresistive random access memories (MRAMs); we mention various schemes to eliminate the need for an external field. We provide technological application considerations for SOT-MRAM and give perspectives on SOT-based neuromorphic devices and circuits. In addition to SOT-MRAM, we present SOT-based spintronic terahertz generators, nano-oscillators, and domain-wall and skyrmion racetrack memories. This article aims to achieve a comprehensive review of SOT theory, materials, and applications, guiding future SOT development in both the academic and industrial sectors.

In this paper, a review of the developments in MRAM technology over the past 20 years is presented. The various MRAM generations are described with a particular focus on spin-transfer torque MRAM (STT-MRAM) which is currently receiving the greatest attention. The working principles of these various MRAM generations, the status of their developments, and demonstrations of working circuits, including already commercialized MRAM products, are discussed.

Spin-orbit torques induced by spin Hall and interfacial effects in heavy metal/ferromagnetic bilayers allow for a switching geometry based on in-plane current injection. Using this geometry, we demonstrate deterministic magnetization reversal by current pulses ranging from 180 ps to ms in Pt/Co/AlOx dots with lateral dimensions of 90 nm. We characterize the switching probability and critical current Ic as a function of pulse length, amplitude, and external field. Our data evidence two distinct regimes: a short-time intrinsic regime, where Ic scales linearly with the inverse of the pulse length, and a long-time thermally assisted regime, where Ic varies weakly. Both regimes are consistent with magnetization reversal proceeding by nucleation and fast propagation of domains. We find that Ic is a factor 3–4 smaller compared to a single domain model and that the incubation time is negligibly small, which is a hallmark feature of spin-orbit torques.

, synthesis, device engineering, magneto-optics, imaging, transport, mechanics, spin excitations, and theory and simulations) have joined together to provide a genome of current knowledge and a guideline for future developments in 2D magnetic materials research.

Magnonics addresses the physical properties of spin waves and utilizes them for data processing. Scalability down to atomic dimensions, operation in the GHz-to-THz frequency range, utilization of nonlinear and nonreciprocal phenomena, and compatibility with CMOS are just a few of many advantages offered by magnons. Although magnonics is still primarily positioned in the academic domain, the scientific and technological challenges of the field are being extensively investigated, and many proof-of-concept prototypes have already been realized in laboratories. This roadmap is a product of the collective work of many authors, which covers versatile spin-wave computing approaches, conceptual building blocks, and underlying physical phenomena. In particular, the roadmap discusses the computation operations with the Boolean digital data, unconventional approaches, such as neuromorphic computing, and the progress toward magnon-based quantum computing. This article is organized as a collection of sub-sections grouped into seven large thematic sections. Each sub-section is prepared by one or a group of authors and concludes with a brief description of current challenges and the outlook of further development for each research direction.

Magnetism is a very fascinating and dynamic field. Especially in the last 30 years, there have been many major advances in a range of areas from novel fundamental phenomena to new products. Applications such as hard disc drives and magnetic sensors are part of our daily life and new applications, such as in non-volatile computer random access memory, are expected to surface shortly. Thus it is an opportune time for describing the current status and current and future challenges in the form of a roadmap article. The 2014 Magnetism Roadmap provides a view on several selected, presently very active innovative developments. It consists of twelve sections, each written by an expert in the field and addressing a specific subject, with a strong emphasis on future potential.<p></p>
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\nThis Roadmap cannot cover the entire field. Several highly relevant areas have been selected without attempting to provide a full review - a future update will aim to address further. The scope covers mostly nanomagnetic phenomena and applications, where surfaces and interfaces provide additional functionality. New developments in fundamental topics such as interacting nanoelements, novel magnon-based spintronics concepts, spin–orbit torques and spin-caloric phenomena are addressed. New materials such as organic magnetic materials and permanent magnets are covered. New applications are presented such as nanomagnetic logic, non-local and domain-wall based devices, heat-assisted magnetic recording, magnetic random access memory and applications in biotechnology.

We report on the current-induced magnetization switching of a three-terminal perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction by spin-orbit torque and its read-out using the tunnelling magnetoresistance (TMR) effect. The device is composed of a perpendicular Ta/FeCoB/MgO/FeCoB stack on top of a Ta current line. The magnetization of the bottom FeCoB layer can be switched reproducibly by the injection of current pulses with density 5 × 1011 A/m2 in the Ta layer in the presence of an in-plane bias magnetic field, leading to the full-scale change of the TMR signal. Our work demonstrates the proof of concept of a perpendicular spin-orbit torque magnetic memory cell.

We report on first-principles calculations of spin-dependent properties in graphene induced by its interaction with a nearby magnetic insulator (europium oxide, EuO). The magnetic proximity effect results in spin polarization of graphene π orbitals by up to 24%, together with a large exchange-splitting band gap of about 36 meV. The position of the Dirac cone is further shown to depend strongly on the graphene-EuO interlayer. These findings point toward the possible engineering of spin gating by the proximity effect at a relatively high temperature, which stands as a hallmark for future all-spin information processing technologies.

We demonstrate that a giant spin Hall effect (SHE) can be induced by introducing a small amount of Bi impurities in Cu. Our analysis, based on a new three-dimensional finite element treatment of spin transport, shows that the sign of the SHE induced by the Bi impurities is negative and its spin Hall (SH) angle amounts to -0.24. Such a negative large SH angle in CuBi alloys can be explained by applying the resonant scattering model proposed by Fert and Levy [Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 157208 (2011)] to 6p impurities.

We review current challenges and perspectives in graphene spintronics, which is one of the most promising directions of innovation, given its room-temperature long-spin lifetimes and the ability of graphene to be easily interfaced with other classes of materials (ferromagnets, magnetic insulators, semiconductors, oxides, etc), allowing proximity effects to be harvested. The general context of spintronics is first discussed together with open issues and recent advances achieved by theGraphene Spintronics Work Package consortiumwithin the Graphene Flagship project. Based on such progress, which establishes the state of the art, several novel opportunities for spin manipulation such as the generation of pure spin current (through spinHall effect) and the control of magnetization through the spin torque phenomena appear on the horizon. Practical applications arewithin reach, but will require the demonstration of wafer-scale graphene device integration, and the realization of functional prototypes employed for determined applications such as magnetic sensors or nano-oscillators. This is a specially commissioned editorial from the Graphene Flagship Work Package on Spintronics. This editorial is part of the 2DMaterials focus collection on ‘Progress on the science and applications of two dimensional materials,’ published in association with the Graphene Flagship. It provides an overview of key recent advances of the spintronics work package aswell as the mid-term objectives of the consortium.

The magnetization reversal in exchange-biased ferromagnetic-antiferromagnetic (FM-AFM) bilayers is investigated. Different reversal pathways on each branch of the hysteresis loop, i.e., asymmetry, are obtained both experimentally and theoretically when the magnetic field is applied at certain angles from the anisotropy direction. The range of angles and the magnitude of this asymmetry are determined by the ratio between the FM anisotropy and the interfacial FM-AFM exchange anisotropy. The occurrence of asymmetry is linked with the appearance of irreversibility, i.e., finite coercivity, as well as with the maximum of exchange bias, increasing for larger anisotropy ratios. Our results indicate that asymmetric hysteresis loops are intrinsic to exchange-biased systems and the competition between anisotropies determines the asymmetric behavior of the magnetization reversal.