187 research outputs found
Magnetoresistive sensors based on the elasticity of domain walls
Magnetic sensors based on the magnetoresistance effects have a promising
application prospect due to their excellent sensitivity and advantages in terms
of the integration. However, competition between higher sensitivity and larger
measuring range remains a problem. Here, we propose a novel mechanism for the
design of magnetoresistive sensors: probing the perpendicular field by
detecting the expansion of the elastic magnetic Domain Wall (DW) in the free
layer of a spin valve or a magnetic tunnel junction. Performances of devices
based on this mechanism, such as the sensitivity and the measuring range can be
tuned by manipulating the geometry of the device, without changing the
intrinsic properties of the material, thus promising a higher integration level
and a better performance. The mechanism is theoretically explained based on the
experimental results. Two examples are proposed and their functionality and
performances are verified via micromagnetic simulation.Comment: 4 figures, 13 page
Energy-efficient domain wall motion governed by the interplay of helicity-dependent optical effect and spin-orbit torque
Spin-orbit torque provides a powerful means of manipulating domain walls
along magnetic wires. However, the current density required for domain wall
motion is still too high to realize low power devices. Here we experimentally
demonstrate helicity-dependent domain wall motion by combining synchronized
femtosecond laser pulses and short current pulses in Co/Ni/Co ultra-thin film
wires with perpendicular magnetization. Domain wall can remain pinned under one
laser circular helicity while depinned by the opposite circular helicity.
Thanks to the all-optical helicity-dependent effect, the threshold current
density due to spin-orbit torque can be reduced by more than 50%. Based on this
joint effect combining spin-orbit torque and helicity-dependent laser pulses,
an optoelectronic logic-in-memory device has been experimentally demonstrated.
This work enables a new class of low power spintronic-photonic devices beyond
the conventional approach of all-optical switching or all-current switching for
data storage.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figure
Measuring the magnetic moment density in patterned ultrathin ferromagnets with submicron resolution
We present a new approach to infer the surface density of magnetic moments
in ultrathin ferromagnetic films with perpendicular anisotropy. It relies
on quantitative stray field measurements with an atomic-size magnetometer based
on the nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond. The method is applied to
microstructures patterned in a 1-nm-thick film of CoFeB. We report measurements
of with a few percent uncertainty and a spatial resolution in the range
of nm), an improvement by several orders of magnitude over existing
methods. As an example of application, we measure the modifications of
induced by local irradiation with He ions in an ultrathin ferromagnetic
wire. This method offers a new route to study variations of magnetic properties
at the nanoscale.Comment: 9 pages and 7 figures including main text and Supplemental
Informatio
Domain-wall motion induced by spin transfer torque delivered by helicity-dependent femtosecond laser
In magnetic wires with perpendicular anisotropy, moving domain with only
current or only circularly polarized light requires a high power. Here, we
propose to reduce it by using both short current pulses and femtosecond laser
pulses simultaneously. The wires were made out of perpendicularly magnetized
film of Pt/Co/Ni/Co/Pt. The displacement of the domain wall is found to be
dependent on the laser helicity. Based on a quantitative analysis of the
current-induced domain wall motion, the spin orbit torque contribution can be
neglected when compared to the spin transfer torque contribution. The effective
field of the spin transfer torque is extracted from the pulsed field domain
wall measurements. Finally, our result can be described using the
Fatuzzo-Labrune model and considering the effective field due to the polarized
laser beam, the effective field due to spin transfer torque, and the Gaussian
temperature distribution of the laser spot.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure
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