Magnetic memory driven by spin splitting torque in nonrelativistic collinear antiferromagnet
Magnetic random-access memory (MRAM) provides a promising candidate for the next-generation memory technology with high-energy efficiency and fast operation speed. Spin splitting band structure in nonrelativistic collinear antiferromagnet with de-coupled crystal and spin symmetry provides a unique way for the flexible and efficient control of the polarization and flow directions of the spin current. Here, by integrating the potential altermagnetic (101)-RuO<sub>2</sub> writing channel with the magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device, we demonstrate the all-electrical field-free altermagnetic spin splitting torque (SST)-driven switching of the perpendicular-MTJ in the 3-terminal altermagnetic SST-MRAM device, with the tilted spin polarization and the transversal flow of the spin current. The z-spin torque is further characterized by the altermagnetic SST-induced shift of the magnetic hysteresis loop, and the field-free altermagnetic SST-driven magnetic domain switching of the recording layer is directly observed by the magneto-optic Kerr effect (MOKE) microscope. Our research establishes groundwork for advancing the development of the altermagnetic SST-MRAM, paving the way for the future all-electrical, energy-efficient and high-endurance MRAM applications with separated writing/reading channels.
Authors
- Wenjie Song (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7785-0263)
- Zhiyang Zeng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0235-1352)
- Yonglong Ga
- Guoqiang Yu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-9562-2899)
- Yu Fan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5775-3148)
- Yaqin Zhao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2464-9990)
- Qirui Cui (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-6165-3237)
- Aitian Chen
- Meng Tang
- Xiufeng Han
- Hao Wu
- Zhe Wang
- Chuangwen Wu
- Kang L. Wang
- Tai An
- Xiao Deng
- Shouguo Wang
- Tao Zhu
- Zengtai Zhu
- Xixiang Zhang
- Dongxing Zheng
- Jing Zhang
- Peng Yan
- Xu Zhang
- Jinkui Zhao
Institutions
- Anhui University (CN)
- University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (CN)
- University of California, Los Angeles (US)
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- Southern University of Science and Technology (CN)
- China Spallation Neutron Source (CN)
- Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory (CN)
- FZU ‒ Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (CZ)
- National Engineering Research Center of Electromagnetic Radiation Control Materials (CN)
- AlbaNova (SE)
- Institute of Physics (CN)
- National Laboratory for Superconductivity (CN)
- Great Bay University
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (SA)
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology (SE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2025-12-30
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-68065-w
- Primary Topic
- Magnetic properties of thin films
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
- National Key Research and Development Program of China
- Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province