Generalized analysis of thermally activated domain-wall motion in Co/Pt multilayers
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Beach_Generalized analysis.pdf
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Author(s)
Emori, Satoru
Umachi, Chinedum K.
Bono, David C
Beach, Geoffrey Stephen
Date Issued
October 2014
Journal
Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials
Publisher
Elsevier
Citation
Emori, Satoru; Umachi, Chinedum K.; Bono, David C. and Beach, Geoffrey S.D. “Generalized Analysis of Thermally Activated Domain-Wall Motion in Co/Pt Multilayers.” Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials 378 (March 2015): 98–106. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.
Version
Author's final manuscript
Abstract
Thermally activated domain-wall (DW) motion driven by magnetic field and electric current is investigated experimentally in out-of-plane magnetized Pt(Co/Pt)3 multilayers. We directly extract the thermal activation energy barrier for DW motion and observe the dynamic regimes of creep, depinning, and viscous flow. Further analysis reveals that the activation energy must be corrected with a factor dependent on the Curie temperature, and we derive a generalized Arrhenius-like equation governing thermally activated motion. By using this generalized equation, we quantify the efficiency of current-induced spin torque in assisting DW motion. Current produces no effect aside from Joule heating in the multilayer with 7-Å thick Co layers, whereas it generates a finite spin torque on DWs in the multilayer with atomically thin 3-Å Co layers. These findings suggest that conventional spin-transfer torques from in-plane spin-polarized current do not drive DWs in ultrathin Co/Pt multilayers.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Materials Science and Engineering
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DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmmm.2014.10.147
