DOI: 10.1126/science.285.5429.867. Current-Induced Switching of Domains in Magnetic Multilayer Devices

Current-Induced Switching of Domains in Magnetic Multilayer Devices

10.1126/science.285.5429.867

Crossref journal-article

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Science (221)

Abstract

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.

Bibliography

Myers, E. B., Ralph, D. C., Katine, J. A., Louie, R. N., & Buhrman, R. A. (1999). Current-Induced Switching of Domains in Magnetic Multilayer Devices. Science, 285(5429), 867â870.

Authors 5

E. B. Myers (first)
D. C. Ralph (additional)
J. A. Katine (additional)
R. N. Louie (additional)
R. A. Buhrman (additional)

References 19 Referenced 1,235

For reviews of the science and applications of GMR materials see the collection of articles in IBM J. Res. Dev. 42 (January 1998). (available electronically at www.research.ibm.com/journal/rd42-1.html)
10.1016/0304-8853(96)00062-5
10.1103/PhysRevB.54.9353
Ya.
Bazaliy B. Jones B. A. Zhang S.-C. 57 R3213 (1998). (10.1103/PhysRevB.57.R3213)
Slonczewski J., J. Magn. Magn. Mater. 195, L261 (1999). (10.1016/S0304-8853(99)00043-8) / J. Magn. Magn. Mater. by Slonczewski J. (1999)
R. N. Louie thesis Cornell University Ithaca NY (1997).
10.1103/PhysRevLett.80.4281
; erratum ibid. 81 493 (1998). (10.1006/jeth.1997.9982)
10.1209/epl/i1999-00213-1
10.1016/S0304-8853(99)00289-9
Ralls K. S., Buhrman R. A., Tiberio R. C., Appl. Phys. Lett. 55, 2459 (1989). (10.1063/1.102001) / Appl. Phys. Lett. by Ralls K. S. (1989)
Jansen A. G. M., van Gelder A. P., Wyder P., J. Phys. C 13, 6073 (1980). (10.1088/0022-3719/13/33/009) / J. Phys. C by Jansen A. G. M. (1980)
Fig. 2 B through E exhibits samples never exposed to a magnetic field but there are no qualitative differences as a function of magnetic history as long as H = 0.
For a review see
Gijs M. A. M., Bauer G. E. W., Adv. Phys. 46, 285 (1997). (10.1080/00018739700101518) / Adv. Phys. by Gijs M. A. M. (1997)
Point-contact measurements of Cu/Co multilayers have previously shown small GMR values; see (6) and
Tsoi M. V., Jansen A. G. M., Bass J., J. Appl. Phys. 81, 5530 (1997). (10.1063/1.364944) / J. Appl. Phys. by Tsoi M. V. (1997)
We thank J. Slonczewski S. Guéron and R. H. Silsbee for discussions. The work was supported by the NSF Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers program (DMR-9632275) the Sloan and Packard Foundations the Office of Naval Research (N00014-97-1-0745) and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and was performed in part at the Cornell node of the National Nanofabrication Users Network supported by the NSF. E.B.M. was supported by a U.S. Department of Education grant.

Dates

Type	When
Created	23 years ago (July 27, 2002, 5:42 a.m.)
Deposited	1 year, 7 months ago (Jan. 13, 2024, 3:53 a.m.)
Indexed	1 day, 18 hours ago (Aug. 21, 2025, 2:21 p.m.)
Issued	26 years ago (Aug. 6, 1999)
Published	26 years ago (Aug. 6, 1999)
Published Print	26 years ago (Aug. 6, 1999)

Funders 0

None

BibTeX

@article{Myers_1999, title={Current-Induced Switching of Domains in Magnetic Multilayer Devices}, volume={285}, ISSN={1095-9203}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.285.5429.867}, DOI={10.1126/science.285.5429.867}, number={5429}, journal={Science}, publisher={American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)}, author={Myers, E. B. and Ralph, D. C. and Katine, J. A. and Louie, R. N. and Buhrman, R. A.}, year={1999}, month=aug, pages={867–870} }

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