Electrical current switching of the noncollinear antiferromagnet Mn3GaN

We report electrical current switching of noncollinear antiferromagnetic (AFM) Mn3GaN/Pt bilayers at room temperature. The Hall resistance of these bilayers can be manipulated by applying a pulse current of 1.5 × 106 A/cm2, whereas no significant change is observed up to ∼108 A/cm2 in Mn3GaN single films, indicating that the Pt layer plays an important role. In comparison with ferrimagnetic Mn3GaN/Pt bilayers, a lower electrical current switching of noncollinear AFM Mn3GaN is demonstrated, with a critical current density two orders of magnitude smaller. Our results highlight that a combination of a noncollinear AFM antiperovskite nitride and a spin-torque technique is a good platform for AFM spintronics.We report electrical current switching of noncollinear antiferromagnetic (AFM) Mn3GaN/Pt bilayers at room temperature. The Hall resistance of these bilayers can be manipulated by applying a pulse current of 1.5 × 106 A/cm2, whereas no significant change is observed up to ∼108 A/cm2 in Mn3GaN single films, indicating that the Pt layer plays an important role. In comparison with ferrimagnetic Mn3GaN/Pt bilayers, a lower electrical current switching of noncollinear AFM Mn3GaN is demonstrated, with a critical current density two orders of magnitude smaller. Our results highlight that a combination of a noncollinear AFM antiperovskite nitride and a spin-torque technique is a good platform for AFM spintronics.