Spin-torque manipulation of a spin system -- a key functionality of modern spintronics -- requires large spin current densities and therefore small device size. The development of antiferromagnetic spin-torque applications hinges upon reliable excitation and detection of coherent spin dynamics in a single antiferromagnetic nanodevice. It requires an electrical, magnetoresistive technique compatible with the device dimensions.
Here, we develop a spin-torque antiferromagnetic resonance (ST-AFMR) experiment and study spin dynamics in an insulating antiferromagnetic crystal capped with a Platinum nanodevice. We observe antiferromagnetic magnons below and Goldstone excitations above the spin-flop field, from an area of only 200nm by 200nm -- a milestone for the development of antiferromagnetic spin-torque devices. By means of angle-dependent measurements, furthermore, we study the excitation and detection mechanisms and draw conclusions for antiferromagnet-based applications.
This work was supported by the National Science Foundation through Grant No. ECCS-1810541.
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