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Nanoscale Quantum Imaging of Field-Free Deterministic Switching of a Chiral Antiferromagnet

Jingcheng Zhou1, Senlei Li1, Chuangtang Wang2, Hanshang Jin3, Stelo Xu3, Zelong Xiong1, Carson Jacobsen1, Kenji Watanabe4, Takashi Taniguchi5 et al.

Valentin Taufour3, Liuyan Zhao2, Hua Chen6,7, Chunhui Rita Du1,*, and Hailong Wang1,†

  • *Contact author: cdu71@gatech.edu
  • †Contact author: hwang3021@gatech.edu

Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 226701 – Published 24 November, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/hv6j-vzwf

Abstract

Recently, unconventional spin-orbit torques (SOTs) with tunable spin generation have opened new pathways for designing novel magnetization control for cutting-edge spintronics innovations. A leading research thrust is to develop field-free deterministic magnetization switching for implementing scalable and energy favorable magnetic recording and storage, which have been demonstrated in conventional ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic material systems. Here, we extend this advanced magnetization control strategy to chiral antiferromagnet Mn3Sn using spin currents with out-of-plane canted polarization generated from low-symmetry van der Waals (vdW) material WTe2. Numerical calculations suggest that dampinglike SOT of spins injected perpendicular to the kagome plane of Mn3Sn serves as a driving force to rotate the chiral magnetic order, while the fieldlike SOT of spin currents with polarization parallel to the kagome plane provides the bipolar deterministicity to the magnetic switching in the absence of an external magnetic field. We further introduce scanning quantum microscopy to visualize nanoscale evolutions of Mn3Sn magnetic domains during the field-free switching process, corroborating the exceptionally large magnetic switching ratio up to 90%. Our results highlight the opportunities provided by hybrid SOT material platforms consisting of noncollinear antiferromagnets and low-symmetry vdW spin source materials for developing next-generation spintronic logic devices.

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