Reversible hydrogen control of antiferromagnetic anisotropy in α-Fe2O3

Journal article

AbstractAntiferromagnetic insulators are a ubiquitous class of magnetic materials, holding the promise of low-dissipation spin-based computing devices that can display ultra-fast switching and are robust against stray fields. However, their imperviousness to magnetic fields also makes them difficult to control in a reversible and scalable manner. Here we demonstrate a novel proof-of-principle ionic approach to control the spin reorientation (Morin) transition reversibly in the common antiferromagnetic insulator α-Fe2O3 (haematite) – now an emerging spintronic material that hosts topological antiferromagnetic spin-textures and long magnon-diffusion lengths. We use a low-temperature catalytic-spillover process involving the post-growth incorporation or removal of hydrogen from α-Fe2O3 thin films. Hydrogenation drives pronounced changes in its magnetic anisotropy, Néel vector orientation and canted magnetism via electron injection and local distortions. We explain these effects with a detailed magnetic anisotropy model and first-principles calculations. Tailoring our work for future applications, we demonstrate reversible control of the room-temperature spin-state by doping/expelling hydrogen in Rh-substituted α-Fe2O3.

Authors: Jani, H; Linghu, J; Hooda, S; Chopdekar, RV; Li, C

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Nature Research
• Journal: Nature Communications
• Volume: 12
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 1668-1668
• Article number: 1668
• Publication date: 2021-03-12
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21807-y
• EISSN: 2041-1723
• ISSN: 2041-1723
• Language: English
• Keywords: Physics; Ferromagnetism; Anisotropy; Condensed matter physics; Spintronics; Magnetism; Antiferromagnetism; Materials science; Nanotechnology; Spin (aerodynamics)