Polar nano-regions enable large spin Hall conductivity in metallic PtCoO(2).

Polar displacements in metallic PtCoO2 enable a room-temperature spin Hall conductivity of 1.6×107 Ω−1·m−1, linked to polar nano-regions.

• Why it matters: Improving charge-to-spin conversion in spintronic materials is often limited by higher ohmic losses, so a way to boost conversion without sacrificing conductivity is needed.
• What they did: The work identifies polar lattice distortions in PtCoO2, compares the polar and non-polar phases, and uses electron ptychography to trace inversion-symmetry breaking to local polar nano-regions.
• The result: Polar PtCoO2 enhances charge-spin conversion by two orders of magnitude and supports efficient spin-orbit torque switching with substantially reduced switching voltage and power versus Pt-based controls, compatible with silicon substrates.

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