New Insights into Magnetic Trilayers: Controlling Interlayer Exchange Coupling

Recent research has focused on the manipulation of interlayer exchange coupling (IEC) in magnetic trilayers, specifically in structures comprising ferromagnetic layers separated by nonmagnetic spacers. The study, titled "Driving noncollinear interlayer exchange coupling intrinsically in magnetic trilayers," authored by Guan-Wei Peng, Hung-Chin Wang, Yu-Jie Zhong, Chao-Cheng Kaun, and Ching-Hao Chang, presents findings that could enhance the functionality of spintronic devices.

The authors conducted experiments demonstrating that changes in the width and type of conducting spacer can induce noncollinear magnetic alignment between the ferromagnetic layers. Their theoretical analysis indicates that adjusting the spacer width significantly influences the IEC, resulting in a perpendicular alignment of magnetic moments at a specific width of the silver (Ag) spacer. This alignment is facilitated by Ag quantum well states, which exhibit spin spirals throughout the trilayer.

The implications of these findings are substantial for the development of magnetic devices. The ability to control magnetic alignment through spacer manipulation offers new avenues for improving spintronic technologies, which rely on the spin of electrons for data processing and storage. Enhanced control over IEC could lead to advancements in the efficiency and performance of these devices, potentially impacting various applications in electronics and data storage.

The full paper can be accessed at arXiv:2409.00911.