Magnetic Proximity induced efficient charge-to-spin conversion in large area PtSe$_{2}$/Ni$_{80}$Fe$_{20}$ heterostructures

Abstract: As a topological Dirac semimetal with controllable spin-orbit coupling and conductivity, PtSe$2$, a transition-metal dichalcogenide, is a promising material for several applications from optoelectric to sensors. However, its potential for spintronics applications is yet to be explored. In this work, we demonstrate that PtSe${2}$/Ni${80}$Fe${20}$ heterostructure can generate a large damping-like current-induced spin-orbit torques (SOT), despite the absence of spin-splitting in bulk PtSe${2}$. The efficiency of charge-to-spin conversion is found to be $(-0.1 \pm 0.02)$~nm$^{-1}$ in PtSe${2}$/Ni${80}$Fe${20}$, which is three times that of the control sample, Ni${80}$Fe${20}$/Pt. Our band structure calculations show that the SOT due to the PtSe$2$ arises from an unexpectedly large spin splitting in the interfacial region of PtSe$_2$ introduced by the proximity magnetic field of the Ni${80}$Fe${20}$ layer. Our results open up the possibilities of using large-area PtSe${2}$ for energy-efficient nanoscale devices by utilizing the proximity-induced SOT.