Electric field driven magnetic domain wall motion in ferromagnetic-ferroelectric heterostructures

Journal Article · Mon Jan 06 00:00:00 EST 2014 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4860963· OSTI ID:22257018

Van de Wiele, Ben ^[1]; Laurson, Lasse ^[2]; Franke, Kévin J. A.; Dijken, Sebastiaan van ^[3]

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1. Department of Electrical Energy, Systems and Automation, Ghent University, Ghent B-9000 (Belgium)
2. COMP Centre of Excellence, Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University, P.O. Box 11100, FI-00076 Aalto, Espoo (Finland)
3. NanoSpin, Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University School of Science, P.O. Box 15100, FI-00076 Aalto (Finland)

We investigate magnetic domain wall (MDW) dynamics induced by applied electric fields in ferromagnetic-ferroelectric thin-film heterostructures. In contrast to conventional driving mechanisms where MDW motion is induced directly by magnetic fields or electric currents, MDW motion arises here as a result of strong pinning of MDWs onto ferroelectric domain walls (FDWs) via local strain coupling. By performing extensive micromagnetic simulations, we find several dynamical regimes, including instabilities such as spin wave emission and complex transformations of the MDW structure. In all cases, the time-averaged MDW velocity equals that of the FDW, indicating the absence of Walker breakdown.

• OSTI ID: 22257018
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 104, Issue 1; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
FERROELECTRIC MATERIALS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
THIN FILMS