Current-Induced Switching of Domains in Magnetic Multilayer Devices

Current-induced switching in the orientation of magnetic moments is observed in cobalt/copper/cobalt sandwich structures, for currents flowing perpendicularly through the layers. Magnetic domains in adjacent cobalt layers can be manipulated controllably between stable parallel and antiparallel confi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1999-08, Vol.285 (5429), p.867-870
Main Authors: Myers, E. B., Ralph, D. C., Katine, J. A., Louie, R. N., Buhrman, R. A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Climate
Cobalt
Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties
Copper
Electric current
Electrodes
Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures
Electronic switching systems
Electronic transport phenomena in thin films and low-dimensional structures
Electrons
Exact sciences and technology
Galvanomagnetic and other magnetotransport effects (including thermomagnetic effects)
Hysteresis
Interfacial magnetic properties (multilayers, magnetic quantum wells, superlattices, magnetic heterostructures)
Magnetic alloys
Magnetic dipole moment
Magnetic domains
Magnetic fields
Magnetic properties
Magnetic properties and materials
Magnetic properties of surface, thin films and multilayers
Magnetism
Metals. Metallurgy
Negative Attitudes
Physics
Room temperature
Sampling bias
Torque
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Description
Summary:Current-induced switching in the orientation of magnetic moments is observed in cobalt/copper/cobalt sandwich structures, for currents flowing perpendicularly through the layers. Magnetic domains in adjacent cobalt layers can be manipulated controllably between stable parallel and antiparallel configurations by applying current pulses of the appropriate sign. The observations are in accord with predictions that a spin-polarized current exerts a torque at the interface between a magnetic and nonmagnetic metal, due to local exchange interactions between conduction electrons and the magnetic moments.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.285.5429.867