Thermal reduction of the threshold current density for current-induced domain wall motion in Tb-Co magnetic alloy wire

Abstract

We investigated the current-induced domain wall motion (CIDWM) in Pt (3 nm)/Tb0.34Co0.66 (6 nm) alloy wire at various temperatures (T). The threshold current density (Jth) for the CIDWM in the Tb-Co alloy wire was 0.85 × 1011 A/m2 at room temperature, and drastically decreased as T was increased. Particularly, at T = 343 K, Jth (= 0.13 × 1011 A/m2) was almost 7 times lower than that at room temperature. The reduction in Jth can be attributed to thermally activated creep motion and a reduction in the depinning current density. These results indicate that devices using CIDWM can be thermally assisted.