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  • Letter
  • Open Access

Hidden interplay of current-induced spin and orbital torques in bulk Fe3GeTe2

Tom G. Saunderson1,2,*, Dongwook Go1,2, Stefan Blügel2, Mathias Kläui1,3, and Yuriy Mokrousov1,2

  • 1Institute of Physics, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55099 Mainz, Germany
  • 2Peter Grünberg Institut and Institute for Advanced Simulation, Forschungszentrum Jülich and JARA, 52425 Jülich, Germany
  • 3Centre for Quantum Spintronics, Department of Physics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway

  • *tsaunder@uni-mainz.de
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Phys. Rev. Research 4, L042022 – Published 7 November, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.L042022

Abstract

Low crystal symmetry of magnetic van der Waals materials naturally promotes spin-orbital complexity unachievable in common magnetic materials used for spin-orbit torque switching. Here, using first-principles methods, we demonstrate that an interplay of spin and orbital degrees of freedom has a profound impact on spin-orbit torques in the prototypical van der Waals ferromagnet Fe3GeTe2. While we show that bulk Fe3GeTe2 hosts strong “hidden” current-induced torques harvested by each of its layers, we uncover that their origin alternates between the conventional spin flux torque and the so-called orbital torque as the magnetization direction is varied. A drastic difference in the behavior of the two types of torques results in a nontrivial evolution of switching properties with doping. Our findings promote the design of nonequilibrium orbital properties as the guiding mechanism for crafting the properties of spin-orbit torques in layered van der Waals materials.

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Phys. Rev. Research 4, L042022– Published 7 November, 2022
  • Received 19 May 2022
  • Accepted 5 September 2022
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