Quantum Kinetic Theory of Current-Induced Torques in Rashba Ferromagnets
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
2015-06-03 v1
Abstract
Motivated by recent experimental studies of thin-film devices containing a single ferromagnetic layer, we develop a quantum kinetic theory of current-induced magnetic torques in Rashba-model ferromagnets. We find that current-induced spin-densities that are responsible for the switching behavior are due most essentially to spin-dependent quasiparticle lifetimes and derive analytic expressions for relevant limits of a simple model. Quantitative model parameter estimates suggest that spin-orbit coupling in the adjacent metal normal magnetic layer plays an essential role in the strength of the switching effect.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.1201.0990,
title = {Quantum Kinetic Theory of Current-Induced Torques in Rashba Ferromagnets},
author = {D. A. Pesin and A. H. MacDonald},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1201.0990},
year = {2015}
}
Comments
5 pages