Current-induced magnetization reversal in terms of power dissipation

J. Cucchiara (1) , Eric E. Fullerton (2) , A. D. Kent (3) , J. Z. Sun (4) , Y. Henry (5) , Stéphane Mangin (1)

1 IJL - Institut Jean Lamour
2 Center for Memory and Recording Research
3 NYU - New York University [New York]
4 IBM - IBM [Yorktown]
5 IPCMS - Institut de Physique et Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg

Magnetization excitation and reversal induced by spin-transfer torques is described in terms of power received or dissipated in a macrospin system. This approach provides a clear and intuitive understanding of the effect of both applied magnetic fields and injected spin-polarized currents on magnetization reversal. It is illustrated by solving the case of magnetization reversal in a nanopillar spin valve with perpendicular magnetizations although the approach can be applied more generally. The appearance of critical currents below which spin-transfer torque is no longer efficient is explained by a break in the uniaxial symmetry of such structures.

Domaines: Science des matériaux [cond-mat.mtrl-sci]

J. Cucchiara, Eric E. Fullerton, A. D. Kent, J. Z. Sun, Y. Henry, et al.. Current-induced magnetization reversal in terms of power dissipation. Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics (1998-2015), 2011, 84 (10), pp.100405. ⟨10.1103/PhysRevB.84.100405⟩. ⟨hal-01624060⟩