Scaling of the Rashba spin-orbit torque in magnetic domain walls

Abstract

Spin-orbit torque in magnetic domain walls was studied by solving the Pauli-Schrödinger equation for the itinerant electrons. The Rashba interaction considered is derived from the violation of inversion symmetry at interfaces between ferromagnets and heavy metals. In equilibrium, the Rashba spin-orbit interaction gives rise to a torque corresponding to the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. When there is a current flowing, the spin-orbit torque experienced by the itinerant electrons in short domain walls has both field-like and damping-like components. However, when the domain wall width is increased, the damping-like component, which is the counterpart of the non-adiabatic spin transfer torque, decreases rapidly at the domain wall center. In contrast to the non-adiabatic spin transfer torque, the damping-like spin-orbit torque does not approach to zero far away from the domain wall center, even in the adiabatic limit. The scattering of spin-up and spin-down wave functions, which is caused by the Rashba spin-orbit interaction and the spatial variation of magnetization profile in the domain walls, gives rise to the finite damping-like spin-orbit torque.