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Giant Strain Control of Antiferromagnetic Moment in Metallic FeMn by Tuning Exchange Spring Structure
Author(s) -
Feng Chun,
Li Yukun,
Wang Lei,
Cao Yi,
Yao Mingke,
Meng Fei,
Yang Feng,
Li Baohe,
Wang Kaiyou,
Yu Guanghua
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.201909708
Subject(s) - materials science , antiferromagnetism , condensed matter physics , exchange bias , spintronics , magnetic moment , strain engineering , magnetization , nanotechnology , magnetic anisotropy , magnetic field , optoelectronics , ferromagnetism , physics , quantum mechanics , silicon
Manipulation of the antiferromagnetic moment in antiferromagnets (AFMs) is a crucial issue for developing AFM‐based spintronic devices. Lattice strain is an effective strategy to modulate the antiferromagnetic moment and is traditionally based on a direct crystalline tailoring of AFMs. A novel method for strain tuning the antiferromagnetic moment by controlling the exchange spring in the AFM, which is applicable to other conventional AFM materials, is reported. Specifically, a TiNi(Nb) shape memory alloy (SMA) is used as the substrate of Ta/NiFe/FeMn multilayers. By thermally driven inverse martensitic phase transformation in the SMA, a significant strain of 1.3% is transferred into the film, which toggles a noticeable magnetic moment rotation of NiFe by nearly 90° in the film plane, resulting in a consequent twirling of the Néel vector of FeMn due to interfacial exchange interaction. In turn, the antiferromagnetic moment of FeMn is tailorable by tuning the exchange spring. Simultaneously, the exchange bias field is tuned significantly with a maximal variation of 350% due to the twist of the antiferromagnetic moment, which facilitates strain‐assisted magnetization reversal for developing a logic memory device. These findings provide an alternative strategy to advance the development of an AFM‐based memorizer by temperature‐driven strain engineering.