Spintronic devices based on 2D van der Waals magnets

Over the past few years, 2D van der Waals (vdW) magnets have emerged as an exciting platform for spintronic devices with novel functionalities. For example, 2D magnet-based Magnetic Tunnel Junctions (MTJs) with magnetoresistances (MR) much larger than conventional MTJs have been demonstrated. Interestingly, judicious combination of materials from the vast and rapidly increasing 2D material library opens promising avenues to simultaneously achieve large MR and low resistance-area products critical for device integration. Here we demonstrate improved vdW spin-filter MTJs with high MR while maintaining low resistance-area products in the ON state. We also leverage the atomically flat interfaces and excellent magnetic properties of high-resistivity 2D magnets to perform fundamental studies on emerging phenomenon and efficient mechanisms for manipulation and control of magnetization by spin-orbit torques (SOTs). We report initial results on measurements of SOTs in vdW heterostructures of insulating 2D van der Waals magnets with 3D topological insulator materials. These systems provide a unique opportunity to systematically investigate and quantify effects of topological states on SOTs in high quality vdW heterostructures.