English

Enhancing the spin-transfer torque through proximity of quantum well states

Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics 2007-10-30 v2

Abstract

We predict that the spin-transfer, Ti,T_{i,||}, and field-like, Ti,T_{i,\bot}, components of the {\it local} spin torque are dramatically enhanced in double-barrier magnetic tunnel junctions. The {\it spin-mixing} enhancement is due to the energetic proximity of majority and minority quantum well states (QWS) of different quantum numbers within the bias window. Ti,T_{i,||} exhibits a switch-on and switch-off step-like bias behavior when spin polarized QWS enter the bias window or exit the energy band, while Ti,T_{i,\bot}, changes sign between switch-on biases. The {\it net} TT_{\bot} exhibits an anomalous angular behavior due to the bias interplay of the bilinear and biquadratic effective exchange couplings.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0703789,
  title  = {Enhancing the spin-transfer torque through proximity of quantum well states},
  author = {Ioannis Theodonis and Alan Kalitsov and Nicholas Kioussis},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0703789},
  year   = {2007}
}

Comments

7 pages, 9 figures