Effect of inserting a non-metal C layer on the spin-orbit torque induced magnetization switching in Pt/Co/Ta structures with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy

Magnetization switching via charge current induced spin-orbit torques (SOTs) in heavy metal/ferromagnetic metal/heavy metal heterostructures has become an important issue due to its potential applications in high stability and low energy dissipation spintronic devices. In this work, based on a Pt/Co/Ta structure with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA), we report the effect of inserting a non-metal C interlayer between Co and Ta on the current-induced magnetization switching. A series of measurements based on the extraordinary Hall effect were carried out to investigate the difference of the anisotropy field, switching field, and damping-like and field-like SOT-induced effective fields as well as the current-induced spin Hall effect (SHE) torque after C decoration. The results show that PMA can be reduced by C decoration and the ratio of the effective SHE torque per unit current density and anisotropy field plays an essential role in the switching efficiency. In addition, the obtained switching curren...