Switching The Perpendicular Magnetization Of A Magnetic Insulator By Magnon Transfer Torque

Magnon transfer torque (MTT) is regarded as capable of manipulating spin by magnons or spin waves only without spatial movement of electrons, which is a key to enrich the toolbox for magnonics. Here using a magnon current through an antiferromagnetic NiO spacer, which can be deep into a magnetic insulator Y3Fe5O12 (YIG), we demonstrated the perpendicular magnetization of the YIG in a YIG/NiO/Pt heterostructure could be switched. When the thickness of the magnon channel NiO was 1.5 nm, the magnon current could still maintain about 84% of the spin current for the YIG/Pt control device, indicating high efficiency of the NiO spacer in transferring magnon torque. Switching the perpendicular magnetization in the YIG/NiO/Pt heterostructures unambiguously verified the effect of magnon transfer torque (MTT), which may advance the development of magnonic memories and logics.