Magnetoelectric Switching Energy of Antiferromagnetic Cr₂O₃ Used for Spintronic Logic Devices and Memory

Abstract

Magnetoelectric (ME) switching energy is the most important aspect in the practical application of antiferromagnetic (AFM) Cr2O3‐based perpendicular exchange‐coupling heterostructures, but it is not fully understood. This study firstly clarifies the relation between the applied magnetic/electric field and surface spin directions (domain status) as well as the perpendicular exchange bias sign in this system. Secondly, the asymmetric ME switching behavior for both Cr2O3 and its perpendicular exchange‐coupling heterostructures is discussed. Finally, a model is developed to examine the energy required during the ME switching of the above system. It was found that the surface status and microstructure of Cr2O3 are essential factors influencing the system's ME switching energy. This work contributes to realizing low‐energy information writing for AFM Cr2O3 used in spintronic logic devices and memory.

Mechanical and Optical Properties of Cr2O3 Thin Films Grown by Atomic Layer Deposition Method Using Cr(thd)3 and Ozone

“…Chromium oxide thin films are widely used for many purposes, such as protective coatings in tribological applications [1], gas sensors [2], solar energy absorbers [3], corrosionresistant applications in semiconductors [4], magneto-electric random access memories and THz spin-orbitronic devices [5], and for transparent conducting oxide applications [6] because of its high hardness (from 18 to 29.7 GPa) and wear resistance [7], high melting point (~2435 • C) [8], good corrosion and chemical resistance [9], and magneto-electric [10] and catalytic properties [11]. These coatings are deposited using different methods such as sol-gel [12], electrodeposition [13], plasma spray pyrolysis [14], thermal evaporation [15], molecular beam epitaxy [16], magnetron sputtering [17], pulsed laser deposition [18], chemical vapor deposition [19], and atomic layer deposition (ALD) [20].…”