2019/12/11 by M. S. Wörnle, P. Welter, Wörnle, M. S. +21 · 1 citation
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Chemical Physics Studies #Advanced Electron Microscopy Techniques and Applications #FOS: Physical sciences #Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci) #Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics (cond-mat.mes-hall) #Plasma Diagnostics and Applications #cond-mat.mes-hall #cond-mat.mtrl-sci
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1912.05287
arxiv created 2019/12/11 · openalex publication_date 2019/12/11 · arxiv updated 2019/12/12 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Electrical and optical pulsing allow for manipulating the order parameter and magnetoresistance of antiferromagnets, opening novel prospects for digital and analog data storage in spintronic devices. Recent experiments in CuMnAs have demonstrated giant resistive switching signals in single-layer antiferromagnetic films together with analog switching and relaxation characteristics relevant for neuromorphic computing. Here we report simultaneous electrical pulsing and scanning NV magnetometry of antiferromagnetic domains in CuMnAs performed using a pump-probe scheme. We observe a nano-scale fragmentation of the antiferromagnetic domains, which is controlled by the current amplitude and independent on the current direction. The fragmented antiferromagnetic state conserves a memory of the pristine domain pattern, towards which it relaxes. Domain fragmentation coexists with permanent switching due to the reorientation of the antiferromagnetic moments. Our simultaneous imaging and resistance measurements show a correlation between the antiferromagnetic domain fragmentation and the largest resistive switching signals in CuMnAs.