Current-driven excitations in magnetic multilayers: a brief review

Abstract

In 1996, Berger and Slonczewski independently predicted that a large enough spin-polarized dc current density sent perpendicularly through a ferromagnetic layer could produce magnetic excitations (spin-waves) or reversal of magnetization (switching). In the past few years, both current-driven switching and current-driven excitation of spin-waves have been observed. The switching is of potential technological interest for direct 'writing' of magnetic random access memory (MRAM) or magnetic media. The spin-wave generation could provide a new source of dc generated microwave radiation. We describe what has been learned experimentally about these two related phenomena, and some models being tested to explain these observations.

5 pages, 7 figures, expected to appear in conf. proceedings

References in corpus (9)

• Microwave Oscillations of a Nanomagnet Driven by a Spin-Polarized Current
• Spin pumping and magnetization dynamics in metallic multilayers
• Direct-Current Induced Dynamics in Co90Fe10/Ni80Fe20 Point Contacts
• Current-Driven Magnetic Excitations in Permalloy-Based Multilayer Nanopillars
• A self-consistent treatment of non-equilibrium spin torques in magnetic multilayers
• Current-Induced Magnetization Reversal in High Magnetic Fields in Co/Cu/Co Nanopillars
• Current-induced spin-wave excitations in a single ferromagnetic layer
• Spin-transfer in diffusive ferromagnet-normal metal systems with spin-flip scattering
• Effect of Antiferromagnetic Interlayer Coupling on Current-Assisted Magnetization Switching

Cited by in corpus (4)

• Controlled normal and inverse magnetoresistance and current-driven magnetization switching in magnetic nanopillars
• Bit storage by $360^{\circ }$ domain walls in ferromagnetic nanorings
• Non-collinear magnetic structures: a possible cause for current induced switching
• Surface spin-transfer torque and spin-injection effective field in ferromagnetic junctions: Unified theory