The Néel vector control in antiferromagnetic CrSb by electron filling, strain, and electric field*

CrSb is interesting for antiferromagnetic (AFM) spintronic applications due to its layered spin texture with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, high Néel temperature, and large spin-orbit coupling (SOC). We performed density functional theory calculations to investigate the effects of strain, band filling, and electric field on the magnetic anisotropy energy (MAE) of bulk and thin-film CrSb. The MAE of bulk is large so that depleting electron can switch the Néel vector of bulk CrSb. Truncating the bulk structure to a thin film results in the broken inversion symmetry and the creation of a built-in electric field due to a large charge dipole. Moreover, the thin film exhibits broken spin degeneracy so that it becomes a ferrimagnet. Reduction of MAE makes the orientation of Néel vector switched with realistic strain. The MAE of the thin film can be changed by electric field via voltage controlled magnetic anisotropy (VCMA) due to the large SOC [1].

[1] I. J. Park, S. Kwon, and R. K. Lake, arXiv preprint arXiv:2005.08412 (2020).