Magnetic domain-wall motion in a nanowire: Depinning and creep

Abstract

The domain-wall motion in a magnetic nanowire is examined theoretically in the regime where the domain-wall driving force is weak and its competition against disorders is assisted by thermal agitations. Two types of driving forces are considered; magnetic field and current. While the field induces the domain-wall motion through the Zeeman energy, the current induces the domain-wall motion by generating the spin transfer torque, of which effects in this regime remain controversial. The spin transfer torque has two mutually orthogonal vector components, the adiabatic spin transfer torque and the nonadiabatic spin transfer torque. We investigate separate effects of the two components on the domain-wall depinning rate in one-dimensional systems and on the domai-wall creep velocity in two-dimensional systems, both below the Walker breakdown threshold. In addition to the leading-order contribution coming from the field and/or the nonadiabatic spin transfer torque, we find that the adiabatic spin transfer torque generates corrections, which can be of relevance for an unambiguous analysis of experimental results. For instance, it is demonstrated that the neglect of the corrections in experimental analysis may lead to an incorrect evaluation of the nonadiabaticity parameter. Effects of the Rashba spin-orbit coupling on the domain-wall motion are also analyzed.