Presentation Information
[8p-E208-10]Magnetization Switching by Orbital Hall Effect in TiN, a Light 3d Transition-Metal Nitride
〇(P)GAURAV KUMAR SHUKLA1, Shinji Isogami1 (1.NIMS)
Keywords:
Spin-orbit torque,Magnetic memory device,Light metal systems
The orbital Hall effect (OHE) in light metals has emerged as a promising route for realizing spin-orbit torque (SOT) devices without relying on heavy metals. Among light-metal systems, 3d transition-metal nitrides are particularly attractive because of their weak spin-orbit coupling, abundance, and compatibility with scalable fabrication processes. In this work, we investigate current-induced magnetization switching (CIMS) in TiN-based heterostructures consisting of TiN(5 nm)/[Co(0.35 nm)/Pt(0.3 nm)]3/MgO(3 nm) grown on c-plane Al2O3 substrates. Structural characterization confirms the formation of highly oriented cubic TiN(111). Clear magnetization switching is observed under an in-plane magnetic field, with a switching current density of approximately 22 MA/cm2. Harmonic Hall measurements reveal a damping-like torque efficiency of -0.17, comparable to values reported for recently demonstrated orbital-torque systems. Furthermore, first-principles calculations predict a large y-component orbital Hall conductivity of about 1200 (h/e) S/cm at the Fermi level, while the other components remain small. The combination of experimentally observed SOT switching and theoretically predicted large orbital Hall conductivity indicates that TiN is an efficient source of orbital current. These results establish light 3d transition-metal nitrides as a promising materials platform for next-generation orbitronic and energy-efficient spintronic devices.