Field-free current-induced magnetization switching of TbFeCo devices with in-plane remanent magnetization for image restoration

Field-free spin–orbit torque (SOT) driven perpendicular magnetization switching is important for low-power spintronic and neuromorphic devices. Here, we demonstrate a novel strategy based on the in-plane remanent magnetization of TbFeCo devices to achieve efficient field-free switching with controllable chirality. The switching chirality can be reversibly designed by the history of the applied in-plane magnetic field, enabling deterministic field-free magnetization switching. The anomalous Hall effect measurements, together with Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction (DMI)-related characterization, indicate that the observed switching is not dominated by out-of-plane spin polarization (σz) or DMI, but is instead consistent with an in-plane remanent magnetization n associated with a FeCo-rich soft magnetic interfacial layer formed after Tb oxidation and magnetic initialization. Moreover, the device enables multiple stable resistance states under varying current pulses, demonstrating excellent stability and tunability. A TbFeCo-SOT-based generative adversarial network achieves high-fidelity handwritten symbol restoration, highlighting the potential of this remanent-magnetization-mediated switching mechanism for neuromorphic applications.