Back to Search Start Over

Two-barrier stability that allows low-power operation in current-induced domain-wall motion

Authors :
Yoko Yoshimura
Yoshinobu Nakatani
Kensuke Kobayashi
Daichi Chiba
Ryo Hiramatsu
Kab-Jin Kim
Hideo Ohno
Michihiko Yamanouchi
Hiroshi Kohno
Shunsuke Fukami
Teruo Ono
Kohei Ueda
Gen Tatara
Tomohiro Koyama
Source :
Nature Communications. 4
Publication Year :
2013
Publisher :
Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2013.

Abstract

Energy barriers in magnetization reversal dynamics have long been of interest because the barrier height determines the thermal stability of devices as well as the threshold force triggering their dynamics. Especially in memory and logic applications, there is a dilemma between the thermal stability of bit data and the operation power of devices, because larger energy barriers for higher thermal stability inevitably lead to larger magnetic fields (or currents) for operation. Here we show that this is not the case for current-induced magnetic domain-wall motion induced by adiabatic spin-transfer torque. By quantifying domain-wall depinning energy barriers by magnetic field and current, we find that there exist two different pinning barriers, extrinsic and intrinsic energy barriers, which govern the thermal stability and threshold current, respectively. This unique two-barrier system allows low-power operation with high thermal stability, which is impossible in conventional single-barrier systems.

Details

ISSN :
20411723
Volume :
4
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Nature Communications
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....6287940ff3a106d88f33ff8a90c70063
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms3011