Influence of Stray Field on Magnetization Switching Induced by Spin-Orbit Torque

Abstract

  In a vertical domain wall motion memory with artificial ferromagnets, magnetization switching induced by spin-orbit torque (SOT) is employed for the data-writing method. This data-writing process may suffer from stray fields from the reference layer; however, this effect has been rarely addressed so far. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the critical current density required for SOT-induced magnetization switching and the stray field by varying the ferromagnetic layer thickness of synthetic antiferromagnetic reference layers in nanopillars with diameters of 300 nm and 200 nm. The results reveal that the critical current density is little affected by changes in the stray field in our system.