Current-induced magnetization switching in Fe ₃Si/FeSi ₂ artificial lattices

Current-induced magnetization switching in Fe ₃Si/FeSi ₂ artificial lattices, wherein ferromagnetic Fe ₃Si layers were antiferromagnetically coupled, was studied in a current perpendicular to plane geometry. While the electrical resistance-injected current (R-I) curve exhibited a clear hysteresis loop under zero magnetic field, the hysteresis loop in the curve disappeared under magnetic fields larger than the saturation magnetic field. This implies that the interlayer coupling was altered from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic by the current injection under zero magnetic field; on the other hand, under the magnetic fields, the coupling was fixed to be ferromagnetic regardless of the current injection.