Achieving optimized spin–orbit torque efficiency and energy savings with Pt1−x(VO2)x/Co multilayer films

Spin–orbit torque (SOT)-driven magnetization switching has demonstrated exceptional scalability, high-speed operation, and low-power characteristics in spintronic devices, making it a promising candidate for next-generation energy-efficient memory technologies, such as spin–orbit torque magnetic random-access memory (SOT-MRAM). Traditional Pt-based materials often enhance the SOT efficiency through alloying or doping, but these approaches typically involve trade-offs between power consumption and SOT performance. To address these limitations, this study proposes an innovative strategy by uniformly incorporating VO2 into Pt, achieving dual optimization of SOT efficiency and electrical performance. The magnetization switching current density was reduced to 3 × 106 A/cm2, corresponding to a damping-like torque efficiency (ξDL) of 0.27, and the volume power density decreased to 5.1 × 1011 mW cm−3. The values are reduced by approximately ninefold and 40-fold, respectively, compared to pure Pt. Thus, VO2-doped Pt provides a pathway for the design of low-power, high-efficiency SOT-MRAM devices.