Enhanced spin transfer torque effect for transverse domain walls in cylindrical nanowires

TL;DR

This paper investigates how transverse domain walls in cylindrical nanowires can be efficiently depinned using low current densities, revealing mechanisms that could enhance low-power magnetic memory technologies.

Contribution

It introduces a new depinning mechanism enabled by domain wall rotation, allowing low current densities to effectively move domain walls across energy barriers.

Findings

Depinning current density can be as low as 5 μA for a 40 k_B T barrier.

Spin torque transfer can counteract damping when the domain wall rotates.

Depinning fields vary by 30% with magnetic fields, but currents vary by a factor of 130.

Abstract

Recent studies have predicted extraordinary properties for transverse domain walls in cylindrical nanowires: zero depinning current, the absence of the Walker breakdown, and applications as domain wall oscillators. In order to reliably control the domain wall motion, it is important to understand how they interact with energy barriers. In this paper, we study the motion and depinning of transverse domain walls through potential barriers in ferromagnetic cylindrical nanowires. We use magnetic fields and spin-polarized currents to drive the domain walls along the wire. Using magnetic fields, we find that the minimum and the maximum fields required to push the domain wall through the barrier differ by 30 %. On the contrary, using spin-polarized currents, we find variations of a factor 130 between the minimum value of the depinning current density and the maximum value. We study the depinning current density as a function of the height of the energy barrier using numerical and analytical methods. We find that, for a barrier of 40 k_B T, a depinning current density of about 5 uA is sufficient to depin the domain wall. We reveal and explain the mechanism that leads to these unusually low depinning currents. One requirement for this new depinning mechanism is for the domain wall to be able to rotate around its own axis. With the right barrier design, the spin torque transfer term is acting exactly against the damping in the micromagnetic system, and thus the low current density is sufficient to accumulate enough energy quickly. These key insights may be crucial in furthering the development of novel memory technologies, such as the racetrack memory, that can be controlled through low current densities.