Spin-torque driven excitations and hysteresis in magnetic point contacts

• Magnetic multilayers are known to exhibit magnetization excitations, which are due to exchange fields produced by densely distributed spin-polarized electron currents. We report an observation of such excitations as well as hysteretic spin states produced by unpolarized currents in point contacts to single ferromagnetic layers. By measuring diffusive and ballistic contacts for various material combinations, we investigate the microscopic mechanism of the single interface spin-torque effect and discuss the possible origin of the observed hysteresis.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Electric excitation; Electrons; Ferromagnetism; Magnetization; Microscopes; Multilayers; Ballistic contacts; Ferromagnetic layers; Magnetic multilayers; Magnetization excitations

Physics

Fysik

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)