Propagation dynamics of individual domain walls in Ga1-x Mnx As microdevices

Abstract

We investigated the transport dynamics of individual magnetic domain walls by employing electrical measurements in multiterminal Ga1-x Mnx As microdevices. Domain wall propagation velocities were deduced from time-of-flight planar Hall measurements between multiple electrical probes of our samples. Domain wall motion induced by both magnetic field and electric currents was systematically investigated. Dependent on the strength of applied in-plane magnetic field, two regimes of domain wall motion, involving thermally assisted flow for low fields and viscous flow for high fields, have been identified. However our data shows no evidence of spin-current induced domain wall motion. © 2006 The American Physical Society.