Magnetic domain wall propagation in a submicron spin-valve stripe: influence of the pinned layer

TL;DR

This study investigates how the pinned layer in a submicron spin-valve stripe affects domain wall propagation, revealing stochastic depinning behavior and differences between domain wall types due to dipolar fields.

Contribution

It demonstrates the influence of the pinned layer on domain wall depinning statistics and the role of dipolar fields in a spin-valve structure.

Findings

Depinning field shows stochastic behavior.

Depinning statistics differ for head-to-head and tail-to-tail walls.

Dipolar fields from the pinned layer influence depinning.

Abstract

The propagation of a domain wall in a submicron ferromagnetic spin-valve stripe is investigated using giant magnetoresistance. A notch in the stripe efficiently traps an injected wall stopping the domain propagation. The authors show that the magnetic field at which the wall is depinned displays a stochastic nature. Moreover, the depinning statistics are significantly different for head to head and tail-to-tail domain walls. This is attributed to the dipolar field generated in the vicinity of the notch by the pinned layer of the spin-valve.