Large Exotic Spin Torques in Antiferromagnetic Iron Rhodium

Abstract

Spin torque is a promising tool for driving magnetization dynamics for computing technologies. These torques can be easily produced by spin-orbit effects, but for most conventional spin source materials, a high degree of crystal symmetry limits the geometry of the spin torques produced. Magnetic ordering is one way to reduce the symmetry of a material and allow exotic torques, and antiferromagnets are particularly promising because they are robust against external fields. We present spin torque ferromagnetic resonance (ST-FMR) measurements and second harmonic Hall measurements characterizing the spin torques in antiferromagnetic iron rhodium alloy. We report extremely large, strongly temperature-dependent exotic spin torques with a geometry apparently defined by the magnetic ordering direction. We find the spin torque efficiency of iron rhodium to be (207 ± 94)% at 170 K and (88 ± 32)% at room temperature. We support our conclusions with theoretical calculations showing how the antiferromagnetic ordering in iron rhodium gives rise to such exotic torques.