Improved domain-wall dynamics and magnonic torques using topological insulators

We investigate the magnetization dynamics that arises when a thin-film ferromagnet is deposited on a topological insulator (TI), focusing in particular on domain-wall motion via current and the possibility of a spin-wave torque acting on the magnetization. We show analytically that the coupling between the magnetic domain wall and the TI removes the degeneracy of the wall profile with respect to its chirality and topological charge. Moreover, we find that the threshold for Walker breakdown of domain-wall motion is substantially increased and determined by the interaction with the TI, allowing for higher attainable wall velocities than in the conventional case where the hard-axis anisotropy determines the Walker threshold. Finally, we show that the allowed modes of spin-wave excitations and the ensuing magnetization dynamics in the presence of a TI coupling enable a magnonic torque acting even on homogeneous magnetization textures. Our results indicate that the TI-ferromagnet interaction has a similar effect on the magnetization dynamics as an intrinsic Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction in ferromagnets.

Figure 1

Proposed experimental setup: A domain-wall ferromagnet is deposited on the surface of a topological insulator and its dynamics can be manipulated via either (a) injection of a spin-polarized current or (b) propagating spin waves as excited, e.g., by an external rf magnetic field.