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Nonvolatile Electric Control of Antiferromagnetic States on Nanosecond Timescales

S. Ghara1,*, M. Winkler1, S. W. Schmid1,2, L. Prodan1, K. Geirhos1, V. Tsurkan1,3, Wenbo Ge4, Weida Wu4, A. Halbritter2,5 et al.

S. Krohns1 and I. Kézsmárki1

  • *Contact author: somnath.ghara@physik.uni-augsburg.de
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 126704 – Published 18 September, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/yzrk-h3rz

Abstract

Electrical manipulation of antiferromagnetic (AFM) states, a cornerstone of AFM spintronics, is a great challenge, requiring novel material platforms. Here we report the full control over AFM states by voltage pulses in the insulating Co3O4 spinel well below its Néel temperature. We show that the strong linear magnetoelectric effect is fully governed by the orientation of the Néel vector. As a unique feature of Co3O4, the magnetoelectric energy can easily overcome the weak magnetocrystalline anisotropy; thus, the Néel vector can be manipulated on demand, either rotated smoothly or reversed suddenly, by combined electric and magnetic fields. We achieve the nonvolatile switching within a few tens of nanoseconds between time-reversed AFM states in macroscopic volumes by voltage pulses. These observations render quasicubic antiferromagnets, like Co3O4, an ideal platform for the ultrafast (picosecond to nanosecond) manipulation of microscopic AFM domains and may pave the way for the realization of AFM spintronic devices.

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 126704– Published 18 September, 2025
  • Received 28 May 2024
  • Revised 2 July 2025
  • Accepted 29 July 2025
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