Domain-Wall Depinning Assisted by Pure Spin Currents

Abstract

We study the depinning of domain walls by pure diffusive spin currents in a nonlocal spin valve structure based on two ferromagnetic Permalloy elements with copper as the nonmagnetic spin conduit. The injected spin current is absorbed by the second Permalloy structure with a domain wall, and from the dependence of the wall depinning field on the spin current density we find an efficiency of 6 x 10 -14 T/(A/m²), which is more than an order of magnitude larger than for conventional current induced domain-wall motion. Theoretically we find that this high efficiency arises from the surface torques exerted by the absorbed spin current that lead to efficient depinning.