  Spin-orbit torque (SOT) driven deterministic control of the magnetization
state of a magnet with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) is key to next
generation spintronic applications including non-volatile, ultrafast, and
energy efficient data storage devices. But, field-free deterministic switching
of perpendicular magnetization remains a challenge because it requires an
out-of-plane anti-damping torque, which is not allowed in conventional spin
source materials such as heavy metals (HM) and topological insulators due to
the system's symmetry. The exploitation of low-crystal symmetries in emergent
quantum materials offers a unique approach to achieve SOTs with unconventional
forms. Here, we report the first experimental realization of field-free
deterministic magnetic switching of a perpendicularly polarized van der Waals
(vdW) magnet employing an out-of-plane anti-damping SOT generated in layered
WTe2 which is a low-crystal symmetry quantum material. The numerical
simulations confirm that out-of-plane antidamping torque in WTe2 is responsible
for the observed magnetization switching in the perpendicular direction.
