Voltage-Driven 180° Magnetization Switching in Magnetoelectric Heterostructures

Voltage-driven non-volatile 180° magnetization switching without electric current provides an energy efficiency alternative to current-driven spintronics. Here, by using the finite-element method (FEM) which combined the Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert micromagnetics with elastodynamic and electrostatics, we numerically demonstrate the application of the strain-mediated magnetoelectric (ME) effect for voltage control magnetization switching in ME heterostructures (e.g., a heterostructure consisting of a square-shaped nickel nano-magnet on top of the piezoelectric island with two pairs of electrodes around the nano-magnet element). This full 180° magnetization switching with voltage is applied by utilizing both the in-plane piezostrains and magnetic-shaped anisotropy of ME heterostructures. FEM simulation results clearly demonstrate that the magnetization in the nano-magnet can be switched unidirectionally to complete a 180° magnetization under two sets of voltage pulse. These results provide useful information for the design of low-power and fast voltage controlled spintronics.