Improved coherence of ultrafast spin-transfer-driven precessional switching with synthetic antiferromagnet perpendicular polarizer

A. Vaysset (1) , C. Papusoi (1) , L. D. Buda-Prejbeanu (1, 2) , S. Bandiera (1) , M. Marins de Castro (1) , Y. Dahmane (1) , Jean-Christophe Toussaint (3, 2) , U. Ebels (1) , S. Auffret (1) , R. Sousa (1) , L. Vila (4) , B. Dieny (1)

1 SPINTEC - SPINtronique et TEchnologie des Composants
2 INPG - Institut National Polytechnique de Grenoble
3 NEEL - MNM - Micro et NanoMagnétisme
4 SP2M - UMR 9002 - Service de Physique des Matériaux et Microstructures

The coherence of the precessional switching was compared in planar spin-valves comprising either an additional simple perpendicular polarizer or a synthetic antiferromagnet perpendicular polarizer. A significant improvement in the precession coherence was observed experimentally in the second type of samples. Micromagnetic simulations were performed to study the effect of the stray field from the perpendicular polarizer. They provide an explanation for the gradual loss of coherence of the precession in terms of vortex formation, which occurs much faster when a simple perpendicular polarizer is used.

Domains: Physics [physics]

A. Vaysset, C. Papusoi, L. D. Buda-Prejbeanu, S. Bandiera, M. Marins de Castro, et al.. Improved coherence of ultrafast spin-transfer-driven precessional switching with synthetic antiferromagnet perpendicular polarizer. Applied Physics Letters, 2011, 98, pp.242511. ⟨10.1063/1.3597797⟩. ⟨cea-00853187⟩