Real-space observation of current-driven domain wall motion in submicron magnetic wires

TL;DR

This study demonstrates real-space observation of current-driven magnetic domain wall motion in submicron wires, showing potential for spintronic devices to operate via electric current without magnetic fields.

Contribution

It provides direct visualization and control of domain wall motion driven by electric current in micro-fabricated magnetic wires, a step forward for spintronic device development.

Findings

Single domain wall displacement controlled by pulsed current

Magnetic force microscopy visualizes domain wall movement

Control of domain wall position by current parameters

Abstract

Spintronic devices, whose operation is based on the motion of a magnetic domain wall (DW), have been proposed recently. If a DW could be driven directly by flowing an electric current instead of a magnetic field, the performance and functions of such device would be drastically improved. Here we report real-space observation of the current-driven DW motion by using a well-defined single DW in a micro-fabricated magnetic wire with submicron width. Magnetic force microscopy (MFM) visualizes that a single DW introduced in the wire is displaced back and forth by positive and negative pulsed-current, respectively. We can control the DW position in the wire by tuning the intensity, the duration and the polarity of the pulsed-current. It is, thus, demonstrated that spintronic device operation by the current-driven DW motion is possible.