Bias dependence of magnetic exchange interactions: Application to interlayer exchange coupling in spin valves

P. M. Haney, C. Heiliger, M. D. and Stiles

Physical Review B 79(5), 054405 (2009).

Abstract:

We study how a bias voltage changes magnetic exchange interactions. We derive a general expression for magnetic exchange interactions for systems coupled to reservoirs under a bias potential and apply it to spin valves. We find that for metallic systems, the interlayer exchange coupling shows a weak oscillatory dependence on the bias potential. For tunneling systems, we find a quadratic dependence on the bias potential and derive an approximate expression for this bias dependence for a toy model. We give general conditions for when the interlayer exchange coupling is a quadratic function of bias potential.



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