@article{33378,
  keywords = {Anisotropy, Calculations, Epitaxial strain, Strain engineering, Electronic structure, Magnetocrystalline anisotropy, Ab initio electronic structure calculations, In-plane direction, Orbital character, Spin-orbit couplings, Spintronic applications, Strain-induced shifts, Magnetic logic devices},
  author = {G Zheng and S.-H Ke and M Miao and J Kim and Ramamoorthy Ramesh and N Kioussis},
  title = {Epitaxial strain controlled magnetocrystalline anisotropy in ultrathin FeRh/MgO bilayers},
  abstract = {Using ab initio electronic structure calculations we have investigated the effect of epitaxial strain on the magnetocrystalline anisotropy (MCA) of ultrathin FeRh/MgO heterostructures. Analysis of the energy- and k-resolved distribution of the orbital character of the band structure reveals that MCA largely arises from the spin-orbit coupling (SOC) between dx2−y2 and dxz/dyz orbitals of Fe atoms at the FeRh/MgO interface. We demonstrate that the strain has significant effects on the MCA: It not only affects the value of the MCA but also induces a switching of the magnetic easy axis from perpendicular to in-plane direction. The mechanism is the strain-induced shifts of the SOC d-states. Our work demonstrates that strain engineering can open a viable pathway towards tailoring magnetic properties for antiferromagetic spintronic applications. © 2017 Author(s).},
  year = {2017},
  journal = {AIP Advances},
  volume = {7},
  number = {5},
  publisher = {American Institute of Physics Inc.},
  issn = {21583226},
  doi = {10.1063/1.4974059},
  note = {cited By 4},
  language = {eng},
}