Reducing the critical switching current of magnetic multilayers -- an ab-initio approach.

ORAL

Abstract

We examine strategies for reducing the critical switching current density of spin valve structures, including the dual spin filter (DSF) design, and the use of depolarizing materials outside of the magnetic layers. We study both ideas from first principles using the non-equilibrium Green's function formalism and direct microscopic evaluation [1] of spatially resolved spin transfer torque contributions. We compare the spin torques present in simple Co-Cu-Co sandwiches with those in the DSF structure. In addition we study the role of Ru layer in enhancing the spin transfer efficiency, exploring the physical origin of Ruthenium's apparent usefulness in microscopic detail. [1] Haney et al.. cond-mat/0611534

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Authors

  • Paul Haney

    U. Texas at Austin

  • Derek Waldron

    McGill University

  • Alvaro Nunez

    Instituto de Fisica, PUCV

  • Rembert Duine

    Utrecht University

  • Hong Guo

    McGill University

  • Allan MacDonald

    University of Texas at Austin, The University of Texas at Austin, U. Texas at Austin, Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Physics, Univ of Texas, Department of Physics, University of Texas