Current-driven magnetization decrease in single crystalline ferromagnetic manganese oxide

TL;DR

This study investigates how a bias current reduces magnetization in a single crystalline ferromagnetic manganese oxide, revealing a non-linear electrical response linked to spin wave excitations, indicating current-induced magnetic changes.

Contribution

It demonstrates that spin polarized currents can induce macroscopic magnetization changes in bulk manganese oxide, challenging filamentary models and suggesting spin wave excitations as the mechanism.

Findings

Magnetization decreases significantly at a threshold current.

Non-linearity in V-I characteristics correlates with magnetization change.

Evidence suggests spin wave excitations are involved.

Abstract

The electrical and magnetic response to a bias current has been investigated in a singlecrystalline ferromagnetic manganese oxide $\Pr_{0.8}$Ca$_{0.2}$MnO$_3$ . A significant decrease of the magnetization is observed at the same threshold current where a non-linearity of V-I characteristics appears. Such a behavior cannot be understood in the framework of the filamentary picture usually invoked for the non linearity of the other manganese oxides. Instead, an analogy with spintronic features might be useful and experimental signatures seem to be in agreement with excitations of spin waves by an electric current. This provides an example of a bulk system in which the spin polarized current induces a macroscopic change in the magnetization.