Physical Review B Physical Review B 80(9), 094418 (2009).
We use atomistic, stochastic Landau-Lifshitz-Slonczewski simulations to study the interaction between large thermal fluctuations and spin transfer torques in the magnetic layers of spin valves. At temperatures near the Curie temperature TC, spin currents measurably change the size of the magnetization (i.e. there is a longitudinal spin transfer effect). The change in magnetization of the free magnetic layer in a spin valve modifies the temperature dependence of the applied field-applied current phase diagram for temperatures near TC. These atomistic simulations can be accurately described by a Landau-Lifshitz-Bloch + Slonczewski equation, which is a thermally averaged mean field theory. We use this equation to find the stability phase diagram of a ferromagnetic layer near its Curie temperature. Both the simulation and the mean field theory show that a longitudinal spin transfer effect can be a substantial fraction of the magnetization close to TC.
Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology
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