378th Wilhelm und Else Heraeus Seminar

Spin Torque in Magnetic Nanostructures

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Wilhelm und Else Heraeus-Stiftung

Aims and purposes of the seminar

The central topic of the seminar "Spin Torque in Magnetic Nanostructures" is devoted to the question of how domain walls in magnetic nanostructures can be manipulated and controlled by electric currents. The idea, to be discussed in detail, is that a spin-polarized current exerts a "spin torque" on a domain wall and hence induces its motion. In addition to phenomenological consid-erations: what are the relevant microscopic mechanisms determining the critical current and the velocity of the domain walls? The experimental realisation is not easy, lateral structures ("rings") as well as vertical structures ("pillars") are under discussion, since the geometrical conditions to achieve high current densities are difficult to meet. Nevertheless, these topics are studied most actively in several universities and industrial laboratories worldwide, because of their enormous prospects for technological applications. A selected collection of recent related papers, demonstrating the liveliness of the field, is given separately (PDF, 3 pp.).

The topics mentioned above will be discussed in 25 invited lectures, by experts who contributed significantly to the recent developments in the field. Thus the seminar will give the participants, mostly younger scientists, an excellent introduction and overview over this rapidly developing topic. There will be ample time for discussions, which are particularly encouraged. In addition, the participants will have the chance to present their own research results in the form of posters; micro-seminars, at the beginning of the poster session, will serve as "appetizers": these micro-seminars have been suggested by the participants of the 287th Wilhelm and Else Heraeus seminar, organized by us in 2002, and we have gladly followed up this idea.

October 2005 / G. Dumpich, U. Eckern, P. Schwab