Spin Seebeck Imaging of Spin-Torque Switching in Antiferromagnetic Pt/NiO Heterostructures

Abstract

As electrical control of Néel order opens the door to reliable antiferromagnetic spintronic devices, understanding the microscopic mechanisms of antiferromagnetic switching is crucial. Spatially resolved studies are necessary to distinguish multiple nonuniform switching mechanisms; however, progress has been hindered by the lack of tabletop techniques to image the Néel order. We demonstrate spin Seebeck microscopy as a sensitive tabletop method for imaging antiferromagnetism in thin films and apply this technique to study spin-torque switching in Pt/NiO and Pt/NiO/Pt heterostructures. We establish the interfacial antiferromagnetic spin Seebeck effect in NiO as a probe of surface Néel order. By imaging before and after applying current-induced spin torque, we resolve spin domain rotation and domain wall motion. We correlate the changes in spin Seebeck images with electrical measurements of the average Néel orientation through the spin Hall magnetoresistance, confirming that we image antiferromagnetic order.