Abstract
The coupling of spin and heat gives rise to new physical phenomena in nanoscale spin devices. In particular, spin-transfer torque (STT) driven by thermal transport provides a new way to manipulate local magnetization. We quantify thermal STT in metallic spin-valve structures using an intense and ultrafast heat current created by picosecond pulses of laser light. Our result shows that thermal STT consists of demagnetization-driven and spin-dependent Seebeck effect (SDSE)-driven components; the SDSE-driven STT becomes dominant after 3 ps. The sign and magnitude of the SDSE-driven STT can be controlled by the composition of a ferromagnetic layer and the thickness of a heat sink layer.
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Acknowledgements
TDTR and TR-MOKE measurements were carried out in the Laser and Spectroscopy Laboratory of the Materials Research Laboratory at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Sample growth and VSM measurements were carried out at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST). G-M.C. and D.G.C. were supported by the Army Research Office MURI W911NF-14-1-0016. C-H.M. and B-C.M. were supported by the KIST institutional program and the Pioneer Research Center Program of MSIP/NRF (2011-0027905). K-J.L. was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIP) (NRF-2013R1A2A2A01013188) and the KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology Program.
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G-M.C. designed the experiment with B-C.M., K-J.L. and D.G.C.; C-H.M. prepared samples and measured VSM data with the help of B-C.M.; G-M.C. measured TR-MOKE and TDTR data with the help of D.G.C.; G-M.C. analysed all data with the help of B-C.M., K-J.L. and D.G.C.; all authors discussed the results and wrote the manuscript.
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Choi, GM., Moon, CH., Min, BC. et al. Thermal spin-transfer torque driven by the spin-dependent Seebeck effect in metallic spin-valves. Nature Phys 11, 576–581 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys3355
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys3355
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