https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-64109-3

Two-dimensional quantum material heterostructures are emerging as a strong option for creating energy-efficient, non-volatile spin-based devices. In these systems, researchers have observed tunable and unusual spin orbit torque behaviors when 2D materials with engineered electronic and magnetic properties are combined. Recent breakthroughs using van der Waals heterostructures—particularly those made from the Weyl semimetal TaIrTe₄ and out-of-plane magnet Fe₃GaTe₂—show that these materials can achieve unconventional, tunable out-of-plane spin orbit torque effects, as well as reliable magnetization switching at room temperature using very small electrical pulsed current. These capabilities are important because they enable magnetic field free, low-power logic and memory devices, making van der Waals heterostructures highly attractive for future spintronic applications and device engineering due to their energy efficiency, tunability, and compatibility with room-temperature operation.

Figure show diagrammatic representation of TaIrTe4/Fe3GaTe2 heterostructure. This configuration leads to a significant out-of-plane antidamping torque, which is symmetric with respect to the current direction, facilitating field-free deterministic switching of the Fe3GaTe2 magnetization.

AHE of the TaIrTe4/Fe3GaTe2 heterostructure with magnetic field sweep at 300 K. Field-free full deterministic switching achieved at 3.5 mA pulse current. The current is applied along the low symmetry axis of TaIrTe4.

The benchmark of SOT spin Hall conductivity vs. power consumption with state-of-the-art results