Spintronics in micromagnetism
Dr. Claas Abert
Date & Time: 9:00 - 10:00, July 12th (Tue), 2016.
Place: 7F Small Seminar Room, Sengen
Abstract:
In recent years spintronics has gained a lot of attention in the magnetic community. Possible application of spintronics devices range from novel storage technologies such as STT MRAM and racetrack memory to tunable frequency generators. In order to support the development of such devices there is a high demand for simulation tools that properly model the involved effects. The micromagnetic model is a well-established and reliable tool for the investigation of magnetization dynamics in systems subject to purely magnetic energy contributions such as exchange and magnetostatic energy. However, when it comes to spintronics, a multitude of additional physical effects has to be considered and likewise a variety of extensions to the micromagnetic model exist. Two popular extension are the models of Slonczewski [1] and the model of Zhang and Li [2]. While the model of Slonczewski is able to describe the dynamics of multilayer structures in a single spin approximation, the model of Zhang and Li is able to describe current driven domain-wall motion. While these models describe the influence of the electric current onto the magnetization, they do not consider the influence of the magnetization onto the current. The spin diffusion model introduced by Zhang, Levy and Fert [3] was shown to incorporate both models and furthermore describes current and resistance in a self-consistent fashion. Moreover the spin Hall effect and its inverse counterpart can be seamlessly integrated in the model which makes it a versatile tool for the description of a variety of effects related to spintronics.
References:
[1] Slonczewski, J. C. "Currents and torques in metallic magnetic multilayers." Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials 247.3 (2002): 324-338.
[2] Zhang, S., and Z. Li. "Roles of nonequilibrium conduction electrons on the magnetization dynamics of ferromagnets." Physical Review Letters 93.12 (2004): 127204.
[3] Zhang, S., P. M. Levy, and A. Fert. "Mechanisms of spin-polarized current-driven magnetization switching." Physical review letters 88.23 (2002): 236601.
References:
[1] Slonczewski, J. C. "Currents and torques in metallic magnetic multilayers." Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials 247.3 (2002): 324-338.
[2] Zhang, S., and Z. Li. "Roles of nonequilibrium conduction electrons on the magnetization dynamics of ferromagnets." Physical Review Letters 93.12 (2004): 127204.
[3] Zhang, S., P. M. Levy, and A. Fert. "Mechanisms of spin-polarized current-driven magnetization switching." Physical review letters 88.23 (2002): 236601.