Spin-torque switching: Fokker-Planck rate calculation

Simple item page
dc.creatorApalkov, D. M.
dc.creatorVisscher, P. B.
dc.date2004-05-13
dc.date2004-06-01
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-07T06:24:36Z
dc.date.available2026-07-07T06:24:36Z
dc.descriptionWe describe a new approach to understanding and calculating magnetization switching rates and noise in the recently observed phenomenon of "spin-torque switching". In this phenomenon, which has possible applications to information storage, a large current passing from a pinned ferromagnetic (FM) layer to a free FM layer switches the free layer. Our main result is that the spin-torque effect increases the Arrhenius factor $\exp(-E/kT)$ in the switching rate, not by lowering the barrier $E$, but by raising the effective spin temperature $T$. To calculate this effect quantitatively, we extend Kramers' 1940 treatment of reaction rates, deriving and solving a Fokker-Planck equation for the energy distribution including a current-induced spin torque of the Slonczewski type. This method can be used to calculate slow switching rates without long-time simulations; in this Letter we calculate rates for telegraph noise that are in good qualitative agreement with recent experiments. The method also allows the calculation of current-induced magnetic noise in CPP (current perpendicular to plane) spin valve read heads.
dc.description11 pages, 8 figures, 1 appendix Original version in Nature format, replaced by Phys. Rev. Letters format. No substantive changes
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0405305
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0405305
dc.identifierPhys. Rev. B Rapid Commun. v. 72 p, 189495(R) (2005)
dc.identifierdoi:10.1103/PhysRevB.72.180405
dc.identifier.urihttp://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/96596
dc.subjectMaterials Science
dc.subjectStatistical Mechanics
dc.titleSpin-torque switching: Fokker-Planck rate calculation
dc.typetext

Files

Collections

arXiv