Sunday, September 28, 2025
Science
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US
No Result
View All Result
Scienmag
No Result
View All Result
Home Science News Technology and Engineering

Materials research revolutionized by a small change

June 27, 2024
in Technology and Engineering
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Atomic structure of asymmetric SrRuO3 thin films and spin-orbit torque magnetization switching results controlled at the atomic layer level
66
SHARES
597
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
ADVERTISEMENT

Like the flutter of a butterfly’s wings, sometimes small and minute changes can lead to big and unexpected results and changes in our lives. Recently, a team of researchers at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) made a very small change to develop a material called “spin-orbit torque (SOT),” which is a hot topic in next-generation DRAM memory.

Atomic structure of asymmetric SrRuO3 thin films and spin-orbit torque magnetization switching results controlled at the atomic layer level

Credit: POSTECH

Like the flutter of a butterfly’s wings, sometimes small and minute changes can lead to big and unexpected results and changes in our lives. Recently, a team of researchers at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) made a very small change to develop a material called “spin-orbit torque (SOT),” which is a hot topic in next-generation DRAM memory.

 

This research team, led by Professor Daesu Lee and Yongjoo Jo, a PhD candidate, from the Department of Physics and Professor Si-Young Choi from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at POSTECH, achieved highly efficient field-free SOT magnetization switching through atom-level control of composite oxides. Their findings were recently published in Nano Letters, an international journal of nanoscience and nanotechnology.

 

SOT arises from the interaction between the spin (magnetic property) and motion (electrical property) of electrons. This phenomenon controls the magnetic state through the movement of spin when current flows. By utilizing magnetic information instead of electrical information, memory power consumption is reduced, making it advantageous for non-volatile memory which retains information even when powered off. Researchers have been actively exploring various materials including semiconductors and metals for these applications. Particularly, there is significant interest in discovering materials that exhibit both magnetism and the “spin-Hall effect.” The study of efficient magnetization switching via SOTs has garnered much attention. However, a challenge remains: opposite spin currents generated within a single layer tend to cancel each other out.

 

In this study, Professors Daesu Lee and Si-Young Choi from POSTECH addressed the problem by systematically modifying the material’s seemingly insignificant structure. Strontium ruthenate (SrRuO3), a complex oxide known for exhibiting both magnetism and spin-Hall effects, has been widely used in SOT research. The team synthesized SrRuO3 with asymmetric spin-Hall effects on the top and bottom surface layers by minutely adjusting the atomic lattice structure of these layers. By creating an imbalance in the spin-Hall effect with a strategically designed asymmetric surface structure, they were able to control the magnetization in a specific direction.

 

Building on this approach, the team successfully achieved efficient magnetization switching without the need for a magnetic field. By incorporating SOT into a device based on SrRuO3, they could reorient the magnetic domain using only an electric current to write and read data. The resulting memory device demonstrated the highest efficiency (2 to 130 times greater) and lowest power consumption (2 to 30 times lower) compared to any known single-layer, field-free system to date. This magnetization switching was accomplished without a magnetic field while preserving the conventional properties of SrRuO3 used in previous studies.

 

Professor Daesu Lee of POSTECH expressed his expectation by saying, “The asymmetric SrRuO3 synthesized by the team is a crucial platform for studying the interaction between ferromagnetism and the spin-Hall effect.” He added, “We look forward to further research to uncover new SOT mechanisms and develop highly efficient, room-temperature, single-phase SOT materials.”

 

The research was conducted with support from the Samsung Future Technology Incubation Program and the Mid-Career Research Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea.



Journal

Nano Letters

DOI

10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c01788

Article Title

Field-Free Spin–Orbit Torque Magnetization Switching in a Single-Phase Ferromagnetic and Spin Hall Oxide

Article Publication Date

12-Jun-2024

Share26Tweet17
Previous Post

How scientists build rotatory machines with molecules

Next Post

Patients receiving protocol exceptions to participate in targeted therapy trial experienced similar outcomes as eligible participants

Related Posts

blank
Technology and Engineering

At-Home Monitoring Reduces Hospitalization Rates for Children with Asthma by 50%

September 28, 2025
blank
Technology and Engineering

Professor Fei Ding Shines Light on People

September 28, 2025
blank
Technology and Engineering

Shaping VCSEL Light via Innovative Cavity Design

September 28, 2025
blank
Technology and Engineering

Nickel-Doped α-Bi2O3 Boosts Biomass Carbon Supercapacitors

September 28, 2025
blank
Technology and Engineering

Respiratory, Feeding Challenges Extend Stay in 33–36 Week Infants

September 27, 2025
blank
Technology and Engineering

Revolutionary Numerical Method for PEMFC Model Inversion

September 27, 2025
Next Post
Patients receiving protocol exceptions to participate in targeted therapy trial experienced similar outcomes as eligible participants

Patients receiving protocol exceptions to participate in targeted therapy trial experienced similar outcomes as eligible participants

  • Mothers who receive childcare support from maternal grandparents show more parental warmth, finds NTU Singapore study

    Mothers who receive childcare support from maternal grandparents show more parental warmth, finds NTU Singapore study

    27560 shares
    Share 11021 Tweet 6888
  • University of Seville Breaks 120-Year-Old Mystery, Revises a Key Einstein Concept

    969 shares
    Share 388 Tweet 242
  • Bee body mass, pathogens and local climate influence heat tolerance

    646 shares
    Share 258 Tweet 162
  • Researchers record first-ever images and data of a shark experiencing a boat strike

    512 shares
    Share 205 Tweet 128
  • Groundbreaking Clinical Trial Reveals Lubiprostone Enhances Kidney Function

    471 shares
    Share 188 Tweet 118
Science

Embark on a thrilling journey of discovery with Scienmag.com—your ultimate source for cutting-edge breakthroughs. Immerse yourself in a world where curiosity knows no limits and tomorrow’s possibilities become today’s reality!

RECENT NEWS

  • Assessing China’s Energy System: Stability and Trends
  • Orogeny Fuels Spider Family Diversification in Asia
  • Breast Cancer Progression: Evolving Microenvironments and Patterns
  • Validating Turkish “Erlangen Team Cohesion” Scale for Paramedics

Categories

  • Agriculture
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Athmospheric
  • Biology
  • Blog
  • Bussines
  • Cancer
  • Chemistry
  • Climate
  • Earth Science
  • Marine
  • Mathematics
  • Medicine
  • Pediatry
  • Policy
  • Psychology & Psychiatry
  • Science Education
  • Social Science
  • Space
  • Technology and Engineering

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 5,184 other subscribers

© 2025 Scienmag - Science Magazine

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US

© 2025 Scienmag - Science Magazine

Discover more from Science

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading