Micromagnetic simulations for the magnetization reversal in ultrathin Fe/Rh/FeCo films

• Published in: Computational materials science 2016-04, Vol.115, p.77-84
• Main Author: Pires, M.J.M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Computer simulation; Couplings; Density; Magnetic anisotropy; Magnetic fields; Magnetization; Magnetization reversal; Magnetization switching; Nonorthogonal configuration for the magnetizations in trilayer systems; Numerical micromagnetics; Switching
• ISSN: 0927-0256; 1879-0801
• DOI: 10.1016/j.commatsci.2016.01.010

[Display omitted] •Nonorthogonal configuration of the magnetizations in Fe/Rh/FeCo films.•Reduction of the switching time for the trilayer magnetization.•Simulations of switching by spin-current induced torque and magnetic field. Micromagnetic simulations have been used to investigate the magnetization reversal in ultrathin Fe/Rh/FeCo trilayer. The influence of parameters like interlayer magnetic couplings, density of spin-current, and applied magnetic fields was studied. The technological interest on this system comes from the possibilities of stabilization of a nonorthogonal configuration of the magnetizations of the Fe and FeCo layers, recently achieved experimentally. The calculations presented in this work show that this particular magnetization configuration reduces the switching time as compared to the case where both layers have perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The reversal promoted by pure electrical current (via spin-transfer torque), pure static magnetic field, and a combination of field and current were simulated. It has been found the configurations providing the shortest switching time are the ones with the Fe layer easy direction along [111] or [101] and with the FeCo layer presenting perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.