1,825 research outputs found
Ab initio studies of the spin-transfer torque in tunnel junctions
We calculate the spin-transfer torque in Fe/MgO/Fe tunnel junctions and
compare the results to those for all-metallic junctions. We show that the
spin-transfer torque is interfacial in the ferromagnetic layer to a greater
degree than in all-metallic junctions. This result originates in the half
metallic behavior of Fe for the states at the Brillouin zone center;
in contrast to all-metallic structures, dephasing does not play an important
role. We further show that it is possible to get a component of the torque that
is out of the plane of the magnetizations and that is linear in the bias.
However, observation of such a torque requires highly ideal samples. In samples
with typical interfacial roughness, the torque is similar to that in
all-metallic multilayers, although for different reasons.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Adiabatic Domain Wall Motion and Landau-Lifshitz Damping
Recent theory and measurements of the velocity of current-driven domain walls
in magnetic nanowires have re-opened the unresolved question of whether
Landau-Lifshitz damping or Gilbert damping provides the more natural
description of dissipative magnetization dynamics. In this paper, we argue that
(as in the past) experiment cannot distinguish the two, but that
Landau-Lifshitz damping nevertheless provides the most physically sensible
interpretation of the equation of motion. From this perspective, (i) adiabatic
spin-transfer torque dominates the dynamics with small corrections from
non-adiabatic effects; (ii) the damping always decreases the magnetic free
energy, and (iii) microscopic calculations of damping become consistent with
general statistical and thermodynamic considerations
Spin Pumping of Current in Non-Uniform Conducting Magnets
Using irreversible thermodynamics we show that current-induced spin transfer
torque within a magnetic domain implies spin pumping of current within that
domain. This has experimental implications for samples both with conducting
leads and that are electrically isolated. These results are obtained by
deriving the dynamical equations for two models of non-uniform conducting
magnets: (1) a generic conducting magnet, with net conduction electron density
n and net magnetization ; and (2) a two-band magnet, with up and down
spins each providing conduction and magnetism. For both models, in regions
where the equilibrium magnetization is non-uniform, voltage gradients can drive
adiabatic and non-adiabatic bulk spin torques. Onsager relations then ensure
that magnetic torques likewise drive adiabatic and non-adiabatic currents --
what we call bulk spin pumping. For a given amount of adiabatic and
non-adiabatic spin torque, the two models yield similar but distinct results
for the bulk spin pumping, thus distinguishing the two models. As in the recent
spin-Berry phase study by Barnes and Maekawa, we find that within a domain wall
the ratio of the effective emf to the magnetic field is approximately given by
, where P is the spin polarization. The adiabatic spin torque
and spin pumping terms are shown to be dissipative in nature.Comment: 13 pages in pdf format; 1 figur
Ideal Spin Filters: Theoretical Study of Electron Transmission Through Ordered and Disordered Interfaces Between Ferromagnetic Metals and Semiconductors
It is predicted that certain atomically ordered interfaces between some
ferromagnetic metals (F) and semiconductors (S) should act as ideal spin
filters that transmit electrons only from the majority spin bands or only from
the minority spin bands of the F to the S at the Fermi energy, even for F with
both majority and minority bands at the Fermi level. Criteria for determining
which combinations of F, S and interface should be ideal spin filters are
formulated. The criteria depend only on the bulk band structures of the S and F
and on the translational symmetries of the S, F and interface. Several examples
of systems that meet these criteria to a high degree of precision are
identified. Disordered interfaces between F and S are also studied and it is
found that intermixing between the S and F can result in interfaces with spin
anti-filtering properties, the transmitted electrons being much less spin
polarized than those in the ferromagnetic metal at the Fermi energy. A patent
application based on this work has been commenced by Simon Fraser University.Comment: RevTeX, 12 pages, 5 figure
Giant magnetic enhancement in Fe/Pd films and its influence on the magnetic interlayer coupling
The magnetic properties of thin Pd fcc(001) films with embedded monolayers of
Fe are investigated by means of first principles density functional theory. The
induced spin polarization in Pd is calculated and analyzed in terms of quantum
interference within the Fe/Pd/Fe bilayer system. An investigation of the
magnetic enhancement effects on the spin polarization is carried out and its
consequences for the magnetic interlayer coupling are discussed. In contrast to
{\it e.g.} the Co/Cu fcc(001) system we find a large effect on the magnetic
interlayer coupling due to magnetic enhancement in the spacer material. In the
case of a single embedded Fe monolayer we find aninduced Pd magnetization
decaying with distance from the magnetic layer as ~ with
. For the bilayer system we find a giant magnetic
enhancement (GME) that oscillates strongly due to interference effects. This
results in a strongly modified magnetic interlayer coupling, both in phase and
magnitude, which may not be described in the pure
Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yoshida (RKKY) picture. No anti-ferromagnetic coupling
was found and by comparison with magnetically constrained calculations we show
that the overall ferromagnetic coupling can be understood from the strong
polarization of the Pd spacer
Spin Motion in Electron Transmission through Ultrathin Ferromagnetic Films Accessed by Photoelectron Spectroscopy
Ab initio and model calculations demonstrate that the spin motion of
electrons transmitted through ferromagnetic films can be analyzed in detail by
means of angle- and spin-resolved core-level photoelectron spectroscopy. The
spin motion appears as precession of the photoelectron spin polarization around
and as relaxation towards the magnetization direction. In a systematic study
for ultrathin Fe films on Pd(001) we elucidate its dependence on the Fe film
thickness and on the Fe electronic structure. In addition to elastic and
inelastic scattering, the effect of band gaps on the spin motion is addressed
in particular.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Magnetization relaxation in (Ga,Mn)As ferromagnetic semiconductors
We describe a theory of Mn local-moment magnetization relaxation due to p-d
kinetic-exchange coupling with the itinerant-spin subsystem in the
ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga,Mn)As alloy. The theoretical Gilbert damping
coefficient implied by this mechanism is calculated as a function of Mn moment
density, hole concentration, and quasiparticle lifetime. Comparison with
experimental ferromagnetic resonance data suggests that in annealed strongly
metallic samples, p-d coupling contributes significantly to the damping rate of
the magnetization precession at low temperatures. By combining the theoretical
Gilbert coefficient with the values of the magnetic anisotropy energy, we
estimate that the typical critical current for spin-transfer magnetization
switching in all-semiconductor trilayer devices can be as low as .Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, submitted to Rapid Communication
Film Edge Nonlocal Spin Valves
Spintronics is a new paradigm for integrated digital electronics. Recently
established as a niche for nonvolatile magnetic random access memory (MRAM), it
offers new functionality while demonstrating low power and high speed
performance. However, to reach high density spintronic technology must make a
transition to the nanometer scale. Prototype devices are presently made using a
planar geometry and have an area determined by the lithographic feature size,
currently about 100 nm. Here we present a new nonplanar geometry in which one
lateral dimension is given by a film thickness, the order of 10 nm. With this
new approach, cell sizes can shrink by an order of magnitude. The geometry is
demonstrated with a nonlocal spin valve, where we study devices with an
injector/detector separation much less than the spin diffusion length.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure
Gilbert Damping in Magnetic Multilayers
We study the enhancement of the ferromagnetic relaxation rate in thin films
due to the adjacent normal metal layers. Using linear response theory, we
derive the dissipative torque produced by the s-d exchange interaction at the
ferromagnet-normal metal interface. For a slow precession, the enhancement of
Gilbert damping constant is proportional to the square of the s-d exchange
constant times the zero-frequency limit of the frequency derivative of the
local dynamic spin susceptibility of the normal metal at the interface.
Electron-electron interactions increase the relaxation rate by the Stoner
factor squared. We attribute the large anisotropic enhancements of the
relaxation rate observed recently in multilayers containing palladium to this
mechanism. For free electrons, the present theory compares favorably with
recent spin-pumping result of Tserkovnyak et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett.
\textbf{88},117601 (2002)].Comment: 1 figure, 5page
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