Magnetoelectric exchange bias systems in spintronics

Abstract

Magnetoelectric switching of perpendicular exchange bias is observed in a Co∕Pt multilayer attached to single crystalline magnetoelectric antiferromagnetic Cr2O3(111). The exchange bias field HEB can be set to positive or negative values by applying an electric field Efr either parallel or antiparallel to the magnetic freezing field Hfr while cooling to below the Néel temperature. Based on this result, the antiferromagnetic spin state can be used as a medium for data storage. The authors propose magnetic random access memory cells and magnetic logic devices, which are purely voltage controlled.