Room-Temperature, Current-Induced Magnetization Self-Switching in A Van Der Waals Ferromagnet

2D layered materials with broken inversion symmetry are being extensively pursued as spin source layers to realize high-efficiency magnetic switching. Such low-symmetry layered systems are, however, scarce. In addition, most layered magnets with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy show a low Curie temperature. Here, the experimental observation of spin-orbit torque magnetization self-switching at room temperature in a layered polar ferromagnetic metal, Fe2.5Co2.5GeTe2 is reported. The spin-orbit torque is generated from the broken inversion symmetry along the c-axis of the crystal. These results provide a direct pathway toward applicable 2D spintronic devices. In conventional switching heterostructures based on spin-orbit torque (SOT), a spin source material with strong spin-orbit coupling or broken inversion symmetry is typically required to generate SOT when a charge current is applied. In this study, we achieved current-induced self-switching of magnetization at room temperature using a layered polar magnetic metal, Fe2.5Co2.5GeTe2, thereby greatly simplifying the structure for magnetization switching.image