We report that atomic-layer alloying (intermixing) at a Pt/Co interface can increase, by approximately 30%, rather than degrade the interfacial spin transparency, and thereby strengthen the efficiency of the dampinglike spin-orbit torque arising from the spin Hall effect in the Pt. At the same time, this interfacial alloying substantially reduces fieldlike spin-orbit torque. Insertion of an ultrathin magnetic alloy layer at heavy-metal/ferromagnet interfaces represents an effective approach for improving interfacial spin transparency that may enhance not only spin-orbit torques but also the spin detection efficiency in inverse spin Hall experiments.

• Received 8 April 2019

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.99.180404