The electric-current-induced spin torque on local magnetization allows the electric control of magnetization, leading to numerous key concepts of spintronic devices. Utilizing the steady-state spin precession under spin-polarized current, a nanoscale spin-torque oscillator tunable over GHz range is one of those promising concepts. Albeit successful proof of principles to date, the spin-torque oscillators still suffer from issues regarding output power, linewidth and magnetic-field-free operation. Here we propose an entirely new concept of spin-torque oscillator, based on magnetic skyrmion dynamics subject to lateral modulation of the spin-Hall effect (SHE). In the oscillator, a skyrmion circulates around the modulation boundary between opposite SHE-torque regions, since the SHE pushes the skyrmion toward the modulation boundary in both regions. A micromagnetic simulation confirmed such oscillations with frequencies of up to 15 GHz in media composed of synthetic ferrimagnets. This fast and robust SHE-modulation-based skyrmion oscillator is expected to overcome the issues associated with conventional spin-torque oscillators.

Here, we present an analytic formula for the domain-wall depinning current from artificial triangular notches driven by the spin–orbit torque combined with the Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction. Interestingly, in contrast to the magnetic-field-driven depinning, the depinning current is governed solely by the notch slope angle, irrespective of the notch depth and wire width. An analytic formula is proposed to explain the present observation on the basis of the variational principle for minimum energy states. The validity of the formula is verified via micromagnetic simulation, confirming the detailed effects of the spin–orbit torque and Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction strengths.

We demonstrate here an optical measurement technique to quantify the spin-orbit torques. The magnetization dynamics induced by the spin-orbit torques with a sinusoidal current injection is measured by use of polar magneto-optical Kerr effect. The measured signal is then analyzed based on the Landau-Lifhshitz-Gilbert equation with consideration of the spin-orbit torques. The present measurement technique is applied to Pd/Co/Pt films and then, the longitudinal and transverse components of the spin-orbit torques are successfully quantified. The present optical technique provides an alternative way to quantify the spin-orbit torques.

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