scholarly journals Spin-orbit torque manipulated by fine-tuning of oxygen-induced orbital hybridization

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (11) ◽  
pp. eaax4278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuito Kageyama ◽  
Yuya Tazaki ◽  
Hongyu An ◽  
Takashi Harumoto ◽  
Tenghua Gao ◽  
...  

Current-induced spin-orbit torques provide an effective way to manipulate magnetization in spintronic devices, promising for fast switching applications in nonvolatile memory and logic units. Recent studies have revealed that the spin-orbit torque is strongly altered by the oxidation of heterostructures with broken inversion symmetry. Although this finding opens a new field of metal-oxide spin-orbitronics, the role of the oxidation in the spin-orbit physics is still unclear. Here, we demonstrate a marked enhancement of the spin-orbit torque induced by a fine-tuning of oxygen-induced modification of orbital hybridization. This is evidenced by a concomitant enhancement of the interface spin-orbit torque, interface spin loss, and interface perpendicular magnetic anisotropy within a narrow range of the oxidation level of metallic heterostructures. This result reveals the crucial role of the atomic-scale effects in the generation of the spin-orbit torques, opening the door to atomic-level engineering of the spin-orbit physics.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhenyi Zheng ◽  
Yue Zhang ◽  
Victor Lopez-Dominguez ◽  
Luis Sánchez-Tejerina ◽  
Jiacheng Shi ◽  
...  

AbstractCurrent-induced spin-orbit torques (SOTs) are of interest for fast and energy-efficient manipulation of magnetic order in spintronic devices. To be deterministic, however, switching of perpendicularly magnetized materials by SOT requires a mechanism for in-plane symmetry breaking. Existing methods to do so involve the application of an in-plane bias magnetic field, or incorporation of in-plane structural asymmetry in the device, both of which can be difficult to implement in practical applications. Here, we report bias-field-free SOT switching in a single perpendicular CoTb layer with an engineered vertical composition gradient. The vertical structural inversion asymmetry induces strong intrinsic SOTs and a gradient-driven Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction (g-DMI), which breaks the in-plane symmetry during the switching process. Micromagnetic simulations are in agreement with experimental results, and elucidate the role of g-DMI in the deterministic switching processes. This bias-field-free switching scheme for perpendicular ferrimagnets with g-DMI provides a strategy for efficient and compact SOT device design.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinyu Shu ◽  
Jing Zhou ◽  
Liang Liu ◽  
Weinan Lin ◽  
Chenghang Zhou ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Andrew Briggs ◽  
Hans Halvorson ◽  
Andrew Steane

Two scientists and a philosopher aim to show how science both enriches and is enriched by Christian faith. The text is written around four themes: 1. God is a being to be known, not a hypothesis to be tested; 2. We set a high bar on what constitutes good argument; 3. Uncertainty is OK; 4. We are allowed to open up the window that the natural world offers us. This is not a work of apologetics. Rather, the text takes an overview of various themes and gives reactions and responses, intended to place science correctly as a valued component of the life of faith. The difference between philosophical analysis and theological reflection is expounded. Questions of human identity are addressed from philosophy, computer science, quantum physics, evolutionary biology and theological reflection. Contemporary physics reveals the subtle and open nature of physical existence, and offers lessons in how to learn and how to live with incomplete knowledge. The nature and role of miracles is considered. The ‘argument from design’ is critiqued, especially arguments from fine-tuning. Logical derivation from impersonal facts is not an appropriate route to a relationship of mutual trust. Mainstream evolutionary biology is assessed to be a valuable component of our understanding, but no exploratory process can itself fully account for the nature of what is discovered. To engage deeply in science is to seek truth and to seek a better future; it is also an activity of appreciation, as one may appreciate a work of art.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Woo Seung Ham ◽  
Abdul-Muizz Pradipto ◽  
Kay Yakushiji ◽  
Kwangsu Kim ◽  
Sonny H. Rhim ◽  
...  

AbstractDzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction (DMI) is considered as one of the most important energies for specific chiral textures such as magnetic skyrmions. The keys of generating DMI are the absence of structural inversion symmetry and exchange energy with spin–orbit coupling. Therefore, a vast majority of research activities about DMI are mainly limited to heavy metal/ferromagnet bilayer systems, only focusing on their interfaces. Here, we report an asymmetric band formation in a superlattices (SL) which arises from inversion symmetry breaking in stacking order of atomic layers, implying the role of bulk-like contribution. Such bulk DMI is more than 300% larger than simple sum of interfacial contribution. Moreover, the asymmetric band is largely affected by strong spin–orbit coupling, showing crucial role of a heavy metal even in the non-interfacial origin of DMI. Our work provides more degrees of freedom to design chiral magnets for spintronics applications.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruyi Chen ◽  
Qirui Cui ◽  
Liyang Liao ◽  
Yingmei Zhu ◽  
Ruiqi Zhang ◽  
...  

AbstractPerpendicularly magnetized synthetic antiferromagnets (SAF), possessing low net magnetization and high thermal stability as well as easy reading and writing characteristics, have been intensively explored to replace the ferromagnetic free layers of magnetic tunnel junctions as the kernel of spintronic devices. So far, utilizing spin-orbit torque (SOT) to realize deterministic switching of perpendicular SAF have been reported while a large external magnetic field is typically needed to break the symmetry, making it impractical for applications. Here, combining theoretic analysis and experimental results, we report that the effective modulation of Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction by the interfacial crystallinity between ferromagnets and adjacent heavy metals plays an important role in domain wall configurations. By adjusting the domain wall configuration between Bloch type and Néel type, we successfully demonstrate the field-free SOT-induced magnetization switching in [Co/Pd]/Ru/[Co/Pd] SAF devices constructed with a simple wedged structure. Our work provides a practical route for utilization of perpendicularly SAF in SOT devices and paves the way for magnetic memory devices with high density, low stray field, and low power consumption.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fausta Loffredo ◽  
Loredana Tammaro ◽  
Tiziana Di Luccio ◽  
Carmela Borriello ◽  
Fulvia Villani ◽  
...  

AbstractTungsten disulfide (WS2) nanotubes (NTs) are examined here as a filler for polylactide (PLA) for their ability to accelerate PLA crystallization and for their promising biocompatibility in relevant to biomedical applications of PLA-WS2 nanocomposites. In this work, we have studied the structural and thermal properties of PLA-WS2 nanocomposite films varying the concentration of WS2 NTs from 0 (neat PLA) to 0.6 wt%. The films were uniaxially drawn at 90 °C and annealed at the same temperature for 3 and 10 min. Using wide angle x-ray scattering, Raman spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry, we probed the effects of WS2 NT addition on the structure of the PLA films at various stages of processing (unstretched, stretching, annealing). We found that 0.6 wt% of WS2 induces the same level of crystallinity in as stretched PLA-WS2 as annealing in neat PLA for 10 min. These data provide useful insights into the role of WS2 NTs on the structural evolution of PLA-WS2 composites under uniaxial deformation, and extend their applicability to situations where fine tuning of PLA crystallinity is desirable.


Dose-Response ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 155932582097924
Author(s):  
Darya Babina ◽  
Marina Podobed ◽  
Ekaterina Bondarenko ◽  
Elizaveta Kazakova ◽  
Sofia Bitarishvili ◽  
...  

Plant growth response to γ-irradiation includes stimulating or inhibitory effects depending on plant species, dose applied, stage of ontogeny and other factors. Previous studies showed that responses to irradiation could depend on ABA accumulation and signaling. To elucidate the role of ABA in growth and photosynthetic responses to irradiation, lines Col-8, abi3-8 and aba3 -1 of Arabidopsis thaliana were used. Seeds were γ-irradiated using 60Co in the dose range 50-150 Gy. It was revealed that the dose of 150 Gy affected germination parameters of aba3 -1 and Col-8 lines, while abi3-8 line was the most resistant to the studied doses and even showed faster germination at early hours after γ-irradiation at 50 Gy. These results suggest that susceptibility to ABA is probably more important for growth response to γ-irradiation than ABA synthesis. The photosynthetic functioning of 16-day-old plants mainly was not disturbed by γ-irradiation of seeds, and no indication of photosystem II photoinhibition was noticed, revealing the robustness of the photosynthetic system of A. thaliana. Glutathione peroxidase activity and ABA concentrations in plant tissues were not affected in the studied dose range. These results contribute to the understanding of germination and photosynthesis fine-tuning and of mechanisms of plant tolerance to ionizing radiation.


Author(s):  
Young-Min Han ◽  
Min Sun Kim ◽  
Juyeong Jo ◽  
Daiha Shin ◽  
Seung-Hae Kwon ◽  
...  

AbstractThe fine-tuning of neuroinflammation is crucial for brain homeostasis as well as its immune response. The transcription factor, nuclear factor-κ-B (NFκB) is a key inflammatory player that is antagonized via anti-inflammatory actions exerted by the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). However, technical limitations have restricted our understanding of how GR is involved in the dynamics of NFκB in vivo. In this study, we used an improved lentiviral-based reporter to elucidate the time course of NFκB and GR activities during behavioral changes from sickness to depression induced by a systemic lipopolysaccharide challenge. The trajectory of NFκB activity established a behavioral basis for the NFκB signal transition involved in three phases, sickness-early-phase, normal-middle-phase, and depressive-like-late-phase. The temporal shift in brain GR activity was differentially involved in the transition of NFκB signals during the normal and depressive-like phases. The middle-phase GR effectively inhibited NFκB in a glucocorticoid-dependent manner, but the late-phase GR had no inhibitory action. Furthermore, we revealed the cryptic role of basal GR activity in the early NFκB signal transition, as evidenced by the fact that blocking GR activity with RU486 led to early depressive-like episodes through the emergence of the brain NFκB activity. These results highlight the inhibitory action of GR on NFκB by the basal and activated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis during body-to-brain inflammatory spread, providing clues about molecular mechanisms underlying systemic inflammation caused by such as COVID-19 infection, leading to depression.


Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Maia Acuña ◽  
Lucile Maria Floeter-Winter ◽  
Sandra Marcia Muxel

An inflammatory response is essential for combating invading pathogens. Several effector components, as well as immune cell populations, are involved in mounting an immune response, thereby destroying pathogenic organisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. In the past decade, microRNAs (miRNAs), a group of noncoding small RNAs, have emerged as functionally significant regulatory molecules with the significant capability of fine-tuning biological processes. The important role of miRNAs in inflammation and immune responses is highlighted by studies in which the regulation of miRNAs in the host was shown to be related to infectious diseases and associated with the eradication or susceptibility of the infection. Here, we review the biological aspects of microRNAs, focusing on their roles as regulators of gene expression during pathogen–host interactions and their implications in the immune response against Leishmania, Trypanosoma, Toxoplasma, and Plasmodium infectious diseases.


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