  We study effects originating from the strong spin orbit coupling in CoFeB/MgO
heterostructures with heavy metal (HM) underlayers. The perpendicular magnetic
anisotropy at the CoFeB/MgO interface, the spin Hall angle of the heavy metal
layer, current induced torques and the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction at the
HM/CoFeB interfaces are studied for films in which the early 5d transition
metals are used as the HM underlayer. We show how the choice of the HM layer
influences these intricate spin orbit effects that emerge within the bulk and
at interfaces of the heterostructures.
