Time-dependent multistate switching of topological antiferromagnetic order in Mn 3 Sn

The manipulation of antiferromagnetic order by means of spin-orbit torques opens unprecedented opportunities to exploit the dynamics of antiferromagnets in spintronic devices. In this work, we investigate the current-induced switching of the magnetic octupole vector in the Weyl antiferromagnet Mn 3 Sn as a function of pulse shape, magnetic field, temperature, and time. We find that the switching behavior can be either bistable or tristable depending on the temporal structure of the current pulses. Time-resolved Hall effect measurements performed during the current pulsing reveal that Mn 3 Sn switching proceeds via a two-step demagnetization-remagnetization process caused by self-heating over a timescale of tens of ns followed by cooling in the presence of spin-orbit torques. Single-shot switching measurements with 50 ps temporal resolution indicate that chiral spin rotation is either damped or incoherent in polycrystalline Mn 3 Sn. Our results shed light on the switching dynamics of Mn 3 Sn and prove the existence of extrinsic limits on its switching speed.

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