2013/10/31 by Kévin Garello, Kevin Garello, Can Onur Avci +8 · 505 citations
Engineering · Materials Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Memory and Neural Computing #Condensed matter physics #Domain wall (magnetism) #Ferromagnetism #Magnetic Properties and Applications #Magnetic field #Magnetic properties of thin films #Magnetization #Materials science #Nucleation #Physics #Pulse (music) #Quantum mechanics #Spin (aerodynamics) #Spin Hall effect #Spin polarization #Torque #Voltage #cond-mat.mes-hall
paper · pdf · doi:10.1063/1.4902443
published in Applied Physics Letters 105(21) (American Institute of Physics)
arxiv created 2014/09/04 · openalex publication_date 2014/11/24 · arxiv updated 2014/11/25 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/08
Spin-orbit torques induced by spin Hall and interfacial effects in heavy metal/ferromagnetic bilayers allow for a switching geometry based on in-plane current injection. Using this geometry, we demonstrate deterministic magnetization reversal by current pulses ranging from 180 ps to ms in Pt/Co/AlOx dots with lateral dimensions of 90 nm. We characterize the switching probability and critical current Ic as a function of pulse length, amplitude, and external field. Our data evidence two distinct regimes: a short-time intrinsic regime, where Ic scales linearly with the inverse of the pulse length, and a long-time thermally assisted regime, where Ic varies weakly. Both regimes are consistent with magnetization reversal proceeding by nucleation and fast propagation of domains. We find that Ic is a factor 3–4 smaller compared to a single domain model and that the incubation time is negligibly small, which is a hallmark feature of spin-orbit torques.