Boltzmann test of Slonczewski's theory of spin-transfer torque

By Jiang Xiao, A. Zangwill, Mark D. Stiles. 2004

189 citations recorded by the source corpus.

We use a matrix Boltzmann equation formalism to test the accuracy of Slonczewski's theory of spin-transfer torque in thin-film heterostructures where a non-magnetic spacer layer separates two non-collinear ferromagnetic layers connected to non-magnetic leads. When applicable, the model predictions for the torque as a function of the angle between the two ferromagnets agree extremely well with the torques computed from a Boltzmann equation calculation. We focus on asymmetric structures (where the two ferromagnets and two leads are not identical) where the agreement pertains to a new analytic formula for the torque derived by us using Slonczewski's theory. In almost all cases, we can predict the correct value of the model parameters directly from the geometric and transport properties of the multilayer. For some asymmetric geometries, we predict a new mode of stable precession that does not occur for the symmetric case studied by Slonczewski.

Subfields: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics, Condensed Matter Physics

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/1c066f5d540836264db97ae09502a651352598fe

Citations in the corpus

• Interface-Induced Phenomena in Magnetism (2016, unknown): “parameters including the degree of spin polarization P of charge carriers in the layers and layer thicknesses [Slonczewski, 2002; Xiao et al., 2004].”
• Spin-polarised currents and magnetic domain walls (2005, unknown): “detail by Stiles and collaborators [474, 475].”