Octupole-driven spin torque switching of antiferromagnetic tunnel junctions.

Nanoscale antiferromagnetic tunnel junctions exhibit octupole-driven spin-transfer torque with a TMR of 363% at room temperature and switching currents around 10 MA/cm².

• Why it matters: Understanding and harnessing spin-transfer torque in all-antiferromagnetic systems could enable advanced spintronic devices, overcoming limitations of ferromagnetic-based technologies.
• What they did: The study demonstrated current-induced OTT switching in PtMn3|MgO|PtMn3 AATJs through experimental measurements and theoretical modeling, highlighting the role of intra- and inter-sublattice spin currents and cluster octupole polarization.
• The result: This discovery introduces a new materials platform for antiferromagnetic spintronics, paving the way for scalable magnetic memory and room-temperature terahertz applications.