Spin-orbit-coupling induced domain-wall resistance in diffusive ferromagnets

TL;DR

This paper reveals a new contribution to domain-wall resistance in diffusive ferromagnets caused by spin-orbit coupling, which can be experimentally observed by varying domain wall width.

Contribution

It introduces the first-principles quantum mechanical analysis of spin-orbit-coupling effects on domain-wall resistance in diffusive ferromagnets.

Findings

Discovery of a spin-orbit-coupling-mediated spin-flip scattering contribution to DW resistance

Identification of an adiabatic DW resistance effect in textured diffusive ferromagnets

Potential for experimental observation by varying DW width in nanowires

Abstract

We investigate diffusive transport through a number of domain wall (DW) profiles of the important magnetic alloy Permalloy taking into account simultaneously noncollinearity, alloy disorder, and spin-orbit coupling fully quantum mechanically, from first principles. In addition to observing the known effects of magnetization mistracking and anisotropic magnetoresistance, we discover a not-previously identified contribution to the resistance of a DW that comes from spin-orbit-coupling-mediated spin-flip scattering in a textured diffusive ferromagnet. This adiabatic DW resistance, which should exist in all diffusive DWs, can be observed by varying the DW width in a systematic fashion in suitably designed nanowires.