Asymmetry in effective fields of spin-orbit torques in Pt/Co/Pt stacks

Abstract

Measurements of switching via spin-orbit coupling (SOC) mechanisms are discussed for a pair of inverted Pt/Co/Pt stacks with asymmetrical Pt thicknesses. Taking into account the planar Hall effect contribution, effective fields of spin-orbit torques (SOT) are evaluated using lock-in measurements of the first and second harmonics of the Hall voltage. Reversing the stack structure leads to significant asymmetries in the switching behavior, including clear evidence of a nonlinear current dependence of the transverse effective field. Our results demonstrate potentially complex interplay in devices with all-metallic interfaces utilizing SOT.