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    Spin splitting torque–induced perpendicular magnetization field-free switching in the SrTiO3/RuO2/[Co/Pt]2 heterostructure

    Xiaoyu Feng1,2,†, Xinge Feng1,†, Peng Zhang3, Fangjun Guo4, Zhirui Wang1, Yifei Wang1, Zhiqiang Zhang1, Wending Liu1, Dangwei Guo1 et al.

    Desheng Xue1 and Xiaolong Fan1,*

    • 1Key Laboratory of Magnetism and Magnetic functional materials, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
    • 2State Key Laboratory for Artificial Microstructure & Mesoscopic Physics and Frontiers Science Center for Nano-Optoelectronics, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
    • 3Xi’an Microelectronics Technology Research Institute, Xian, 710054, China
    • 4Lanzhou Institute of Physics, Lanzhou 730000, China

    • *Contact author: fanxiaolong@lzu.edu.cn
    • †These authors contributed equally to this work.

    Phys. Rev. Applied 26, 024060 – Published 21 August, 2026

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/r8ck-3pbm

    Abstract

    Exploring materials with unconventional spin transport properties and manipulating magnetic moments are core focuses in spintronics. Herein, we report the crystallographic orientation-dependent field-free switching of perpendicular magnetization in STO//RuO2(100)/[Co/Pt]2 heterostructure, driven by spin splitting torque of RuO2. Unlike RuO2(101)-based systems, the STO//RuO2(100)/[Co/Pt]2 eliminates confounding factors including crystal structural effects and perpendicular magnetic moment tilting, which allows us to attribute field-free switching exclusively to RuO2 antiferromagnetic order. When the Néel vector in STO//RuO2(100) deviates from the [001] easy axis and acquires an out-of-plane component, the anisotropic spin splitting effect generates out-of-plane spin polarization spin current, which provides damping-like torque to drive field-free switching at a critical current density of approximately 1.6×107A/cm2. Complemented by temperature-dependent oscillating exchange bias that reverses sign at 90 K, our results unambiguously confirm the antiferromagnetic order of RuO2 in the heterostructure. This work offers evidence for spin splitting torque in RuO2-based heterostructures, deepens the understanding of altermagnetic spin transport, and paves the way for the development of field-free spintronic devices.

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