Phase Change-Induced Magnetic Switching through Metal–Insulator Transition in VO(2)/TbFeCo Films

The ability to manipulate spins in magnetic materials is essential in designing spintronics devices. One method for magnetic switching is through strain. In VO [Formula: see text] on TiO [Formula: see text] thin films, while VO [Formula: see text] remains rutile across the metal–insulator transition, the in-plane lattice area expands going from a low-temperature insulating phase to a high-temperature conducting phase. In a VO [Formula: see text] /TbFeCo bilayer, the expansion of the VO [Formula: see text] lattice area exerts tension on the amorphous TbFeCo layer. Through the strain effect, magnetic properties, including the magnetic anisotropy and magnetization, of TbFeCo can be changed. In this work, the changes in magnetic properties of TbFeCo on VO [Formula: see text] /TiO [Formula: see text] (011) are demonstrated using anomalous Hall effect measurements. Across the metal–insulator transition, TbFeCo loses perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, and the magnetization in TbFeCo turns from out-of-plane to in-plane. Using atomistic simulations, we confirm these tunable magnetic properties originating from the metal–insulator transition of VO [Formula: see text]. This study provides the groundwork for controlling magnetic properties through a phase transition.