Epitaxial strain controlled magnetocrystalline anisotropy in ultrathin FeRh/MgO bilayers
Publication Type | Journal Article
|
---|
Authors | |
---|---|
DOI |
10.1063/1.4974059
|
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).
|
Notes |
cited By 4
|
Journal |
AIP Advances
|
Volume |
7
|
Year of Publication |
2017
|
Number |
5
|
Publisher |
American Institute of Physics Inc.
|
ISSN Number |
21583226
|
Keywords | |
Research Areas | |
Download citation |