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Control of Domain Wall Polarity by Current Pulses

A. Vanhaverbeke, A. Bischof, and R. Allenspach
Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 107202 – Published 2 September 2008
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Abstract

Direct observation of current-induced propagation of purely transverse magnetic domain walls with spin-polarized scanning electron microscopy is reported in Fe30Ni70 nanowires. After propagation, the domain walls keep their transverse nature but switch polarity in some cases. For uniform Ni70Fe30 wires, the effect is random and illustrates domain-wall propagation above the Walker threshold. In the case of Ni70Fe30/Fe wires, the transverse magnetization component in the wall is entirely determined by the polarity of the current pulse, an effect that is not reconciled by present theories even when taking into account the nonuniform Oersted field generated by the current.

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  • Received 8 May 2008

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.101.107202

©2008 American Physical Society

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Flipping a domain wall switch

Published 2 September 2008

Most applications based on magnetism are incompatible with domain walls, which interrupt a homogeneous magnetization. Scientists are turning this view around as they discover new ways to use an electric current to manipulate and store information in nanoscale domain walls.

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Authors & Affiliations

A. Vanhaverbeke, A. Bischof, and R. Allenspach

  • IBM Research, Zurich Research Laboratory, Säumerstrasse 4, CH-8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland

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Issue

Vol. 101, Iss. 10 — 5 September 2008

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