Spin-orbit torques in two-dimensional Rashba ferromagnets

Abstract

Magnetization dynamics in single-domain ferromagnets can be triggered by a charge current if the spin-orbit coupling is sufficiently strong. We apply functional Keldysh theory to investigate spin-orbit torques in metallic two-dimensional Rashba ferromagnets in the presence of spin-dependent disorders. A reactive, antidamping-like spin-orbit torque as well as a dissipative, field-like torque is calculated microscopically, to leading order in the spin-orbit interaction strength. By calculating the first vertex correction we show that the intrinsic antidamping-like torque vanishes unless the scattering rates are spin dependent.