Universal Absence of Walker Breakdown and Linear Current-Velocity Relation via Spin-Orbit Torques in Coupled and Single Domain Wall Motion

TL;DR

This paper theoretically demonstrates that spin-orbit torques can universally eliminate Walker breakdown and produce a linear current-velocity relation in domain wall motion, leading to high velocities across various magnetic materials and configurations.

Contribution

It introduces a universal mechanism to prevent Walker breakdown and achieve linear velocity response in domain walls driven by spin-orbit torques, applicable to multiple material systems.

Findings

Universal absence of Walker breakdown with relevant spin-orbit coupling.

Linear current-velocity relation in non-Rashba spin-orbit torque regimes.

High domain wall velocities in synthetic antiferromagnets.

Abstract

We consider theoretically domain wall motion driven by spin-orbit and spin Hall torques. We find that it is possible to achieve universal absence of Walker breakdown for all spin-orbit torques using experimentally relevant spin-orbit coupling strengths. For spin-orbit torques other than the pure Rashba spin-orbit torque, this gives a linear current-velocity relation instead of a saturation of the velocity at high current densities. The effect is very robust and is found in both soft and hard magnetic materials, as well as in the presence of the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction and in coupled domain walls in synthetic antiferromagnets, where it leads to very high domain wall velocities. Moreover, recent experiments have demonstrated that the switching of a synthetic antiferromagnet does not obey the usual spin Hall angle-dependence, but that domain expansion and contraction can be selectively controlled toggling only the applied in-plane magnetic field magnitude and not its sign. We show for the first time that the combination of spin Hall torques and interlayer exchange coupling produces the necessary relative velocities for this switching to occur.