Creep of current-driven domain-wall lines: intrinsic versus extrinsic pinning

Abstract

We present a model for current-driven motion of a magnetic domain-wall line, in which the dynamics of the domain wall is equivalent to that of an overdamped vortex line in an anisotropic pinning potential. This potential has both extrinsic contributions due to, e.g., sample inhomogeneities, and an intrinsic contribution due to magnetic anisotropy. We obtain results for the domain-wall velocity as a function of current for various regimes of pinning. In particular, we find that the exponent characterizing the creep regime depends strongly on the presence of a dissipative spin transfer torque. We discuss our results in the light of recent experiments on current-driven domain-wall creep in ferromagnetic semiconductors, and suggest further experiments to corroborate our model.

arXiv commentFor figure in GIF format, see http://www.phys.uu.nl/~duine/mapping.gif v2: (hopefully) visible EPS figure added. v2: expanded new version

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Cited by in corpus (10)

• Magnetic domain wall motion in a nanowire: depinning and creep
• Current-driven and field-driven domain walls at nonzero temperature
• Depinning of domain walls with an internal degree of freedom
• Formation of wrinkles on graphene induced by nanoparticles: atomic force microscopy study
• Thermopower and Thermally Induced Domain Wall Motion in (Ga,Mn)As
• Generalized analysis of thermally activated domain-wall motion in Co/Pt multilayers
• Electron Induced Massive Dynamics of Magnetic Domain Walls
• Thermal fluctuation field for current-induced domain wall motion
• Universality between current- and field-driven domain wall dynamics in ferromagnetic nanowires
• Roles of adiabatic and nonadiabatic spin transfer torques on magnetic domain wall motion