Current-pulse-induced magnetic switching in standard and nonstandard spin-valves

Abstract

Magnetization switching due to a current-pulse in symmetric and asymmetric spin valves is studied theoretically within the macrospin model. The switching process and the corresponding switching parameters are shown to depend significantly on the pulse duration and also on the interplay of the torques due to spin transfer and external magnetic field. This interplay leads to peculiar features in the corresponding phase diagram. These features in standard spin valves, where the spin transfer torque stabilizes one of the magnetic configurations (either parallel or antiparallel) and destabilizes the opposite one, differ from those in nonstandard (asymmetric) spin valves, where both collinear configurations are stable for one current orientation and unstable for the opposite one. Following this we propose a scheme of ultrafast current-induced switching in nonstandard spin valves, based on a sequence of two current pulses.

7 pages, 5 figures; to be published in Phys. Rev. B

References in corpus (8)

• Shaped angular dependence of the spin transfer torque and microwave generation without magnetic field
• Current-driven destabilization of both collinear configurations in asymmetric spin-valves
• Coherent control of nanomagnet dynamics via ultrafast spin torque pulses
• Biased quasi ballistic spin torque magnetization reversal
• Microwave excitations associated with a wavy angular dependence of the spin transfer torque : model and experiments
• Thermally Assisted Current-Driven Bistable Precessional Regimes in Asymmetric Spin Valves
• Correlation of the angular dependence of spin-transfer torque and giant magnetoresistance in the limit of diffusive transport in spin valves
• Effect of spin diffusion on spin torque in magnetic nanopillars

Cited by in corpus (4)

• Strategies and tolerances of spin transfer torque switching
• Current-induced dynamics in non-collinear dual spin-valves
• Current-induced dynamics of composite free layer with antiferromagnetic interlayer exchange coupling
• Computational study of microwave oscillations in absence of external field in nonstandard spin valves in the diffusive transport limit