In-plane current-induced magnetization switching in CoGa/MnGa/MgO films

In-plane current-induced magnetization switching was investigated in a micron-sized Hall bar for the paramagnetic CoGa-buffered and MgO-capped 2-nm-thick ferrimagnetic L10 MnGa layer with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Current-induced switching was clearly observed when the in-plane longitudinal magnetic field applied was sufficiently large and at an injection current density of 1011 A/m2. The in-plane field direction and CoGa thickness dependence indicate that the deterministic bipolar switching primarily originates from a damping-like spin–orbit torque (SOT) arising from the spin-Hall effect in CoGa with a positive spin-Hall angle. The current pulse response suggested that the SOT switching was thermally assisted by Joule heating.