A novel design to realize deterministic switching of perpendicularly magnetic layers by spin orbital torque through antiferromagnetic coupling

Abstract: We proposed a novel and simple multilayer structure to realize the deterministic switching of perpendicularly magnetized layers (Co in our work) by spin orbital torque from the spin Hall Effect in this paper. A pinned layer is introduced, antiferromagnetically coupled to the magnetic Co layer. We have confirmed the deterministic switching of perpendicularly magnetized layers from perspectives of switching loops, trajectories and switching properties under periodic spin currents through micromagnetic simulation. The antiferromagnetic interaction accounts for the deterministic switching exhibited in the structure and the reversal ultimate state of the magnetic layer is predictable when the applied spin current density is above 60MA/cm2. In our design, the antiferromagnetic coupling is easily tunable and no external magnetic field is needed.