Publication details

Lepadatu, S., Vanhaverbeke, A., Atkinson, D., Allenspach, R. & Marrows, C.H. (2009). Dependence of domain-wall depinning threshold current on pinning profile. Physical Review Letters 102(12): 127203.

• Publication type: Journal Article
• ISSN/ISBN: 0031-9007 (print), 1079-7114 (electronic)
• DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.127203
• Further publication details on publisher web site
• Durham Research Online (DRO) - may include full text

Author(s) from Durham

• Professor Del Atkinson

Abstract

We have investigated the threshold current density required for depinning a domain wall from constrictions in NiFe nanowires, which give rise to pinning potentials of fixed amplitude but variable profile. We observed it to vary linearly with the angle of the triangular constriction. These results are reproduced using micromagnetic simulations including the adiabatic and nonadiabatic spin-torque terms. By curve-fitting the calculated variations to the experimental results, we obtain the nonadiabaticity parameter β=0.04(±0.005) and current spin polarization P=0.51(±0.02).