Concepedia

Magnetoelectric Devices for Spintronics

S. Fusil, Vincent Garcia, A. Barthélémy, Manuel Bibès

Annual Review of Materials Research · 2014 · 368 citations · 104 references

TL;DR

The control of magnetism by electric fields is a key goal for low‑power spintronics, and approaches include single‑phase multiferroics and hybrid structures where a ferromagnet is influenced by an adjacent ferroelectric, piezoelectric, or multiferroic insulator, with effects driven by electronic, electrostatic, or strain coupling. This review examines progress in electrically controlling magnetic properties such as anisotropy, spin order, ordering temperature, and domain structure, and their application to prototype spintronic devices like spin valves and magnetic tunnel junctions. They review the mechanisms by which electric fields alter magnetic anisotropy, spin order, ordering temperature, and domain structure in prototype spintronic devices such as spin valves and magnetic tunnel junctions. The review identifies key outstanding challenges and offers perspectives for advancing spintronics and related fields.

Abstract

The control of magnetism by electric fields is an important goal for the future development of low-power spintronics. Various approaches have been proposed on the basis of either single-phase multiferroic materials or hybrid structures in which a ferromagnet is influenced by the electric field applied to an adjacent insulator (usually having a ferroelectric, piezoelectric, or multiferroic character). The electric field effect on magnetism can be driven by purely electronic or electrostatic effects or can occur through strain coupling. Here we review progress in the electrical control of magnetic properties (anisotropy, spin order, ordering temperature, domain structure) and its application to prototype spintronic devices (spin valves, magnetic tunnel junctions). We tentatively identify the main outstanding difficulties and give perspectives for spintronics and other fields.