Resistance of a domain wall in the quasiclassical approach

Abstract

Starting from a simple microscopic model, we have derived a kinetic equation for the matrix distribution function. We employed this equation to calculate the conductance $G$ in a mesoscopic F'/F/F' structure with a domain wall (DW). In the limit of a small exchange energy $J$ and an abrupt DW, the conductance of the structure is equal to $G_{2d}=4{\sigma }_{\uparrow }{\sigma }_{\downarrow }/({\sigma }_{\uparrow }+{\sigma }_{\downarrow })L$. Assuming that the scattering times for electrons with up and down spins are close to each other we show that the account for a finite width of the DW leads to an increase in this conductance. We have also calculated the spatial distribution of the electric field in the F wire. In the opposite limit of large $J$ (adiabatic variation of the magnetization in the DW) the conductance coincides in the main approximation with the conductance of a single domain structure . The account for rotation of the magnetization in the DW leads to a negative correction to this conductance. Our results differ from the results in papers published earlier.

11 pages; replaced with revised version

References in corpus (3)

• Josephson current in superconductor-ferromagnet structures with a nonhomogeneous magnetization
• Ballistic versus diffusive magnetoresistance of a magnetic point contact
• Electrons in a ferromagnetic metal with a domain wall

Cited by in corpus (9)

• Manifestation of triplet superconductivity in superconductor-ferromagnet structures
• Odd spin-triplet superconductivity in a multilayered superconductor-ferromagnet Josephson junction
• Transition to linear domain walls in nano-constrictions
• Electron cooling in diffusive normal metal - superconductor tunnel junctions with a spin-valve ferromagnetic interlayer
• Microscopic and Macroscopic Signatures of Antiferromagnetic Domain Walls
• Scattering by magnetic and spin-orbit impurities and the Josephson current in superconductor-ferromagnet-superconductor junctions
• Electronic transport in ferromagnetic conductors with inhomogeneous magnetic order parameter -- domain-wall resistance
• Scaling of intrinsic domain wall magneto-resistance with confinement in electromigrated nanocontacts
• Charge and Spin Supercurrents in Magnetic Josephson Junctions with Spin Filters and Domain Walls