2004/06/21 by Neil Smith, Smith, Neil
Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci) #cond-mat.mtrl-sci
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.cond-mat/0406486
16 pages, 1 figure, 18 references. Comparison of some of these results with experimental measurement will be described by Lacour et al. (2004), to be submitted to Appl. Phys. Lett., and this archive
arxiv created 2004/06/21 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01
This article reviews basic theoretical features of Gilbert magnetization dynamics of a single domain magnetic film in the presence of Slonczewski spin-transfer torques, with and without thermal fluctuations taken into account. Rather than showing results of detailed numerical calculations, the discussion here is restricted to basic analytical results and conclusions which can mostly be derived from simply the form of the equations of motion, as well as elementary considerations based on classical stability analysis and the fluctuation-dissipation theorem. The presents work describes how interesting features of spin-transfer may be viewed as arising from non-equilibrium thermodynamics that are a direct consequence of the nonreciprocal nature of spin-transfer torques. The present article discusses fairly general results for spin-torque induced instability without thermal fluctuations, as well as the case of thermally activated magnetization reversal in uniaxial devices in the combined presence of external fields, thermal fluctuations, and spin-transfer torques. The results will be discussed and briefly compared and contrasted with that of prior work.