Interfacial current-induced torques in Pt/Co/GdOx

TL;DR

This study investigates current-driven domain wall motion in Pt/Co/GdOx nanostrips, revealing a significant interfacial torque that depends on the interface composition, with implications for magnetic memory technologies.

Contribution

It demonstrates that the Co/GdOx interface significantly enhances current-induced domain wall motion, with a quantifiable torque scaling and interface dependence.

Findings

Large current-induced torque equivalent to ~60 Oe per 10^11 A/m^2

Torque decreases with Pt decoration and vanishes when Pt replaces GdOx

Interfacial contribution is key to efficient domain wall motion

Abstract

Current-driven domain wall (DW) motion is investigated in Pt/Co/GdOx nanostrips with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Measurements of the propagation field and the energy barrier for thermally activated DW motion reveal a large current-induced torque equivalent to an out-of-plane magnetic field of ~60 Oe per 10^11 A/m^2. This same field-to-current scaling is shown to hold in both the slow thermally activated and fast near-flow regimes of DW motion. The current-induced torque decreases with 4 {\AA} of Pt decorating the Co/GdOx interface and vanishes entirely with Pt replacing GdOx, suggesting that the Co/GdOx interface contributes directly to highly efficient current-driven DW motion.