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The current induced magnetic dynamics of a nano-scale pseudo-spin-valve (PSV) structure was theoretically studied. The spin relaxation mechanisms and the influence of ferromagnetic/nonmagnetic (FM/NM) interfaces on the current polarization were investigated, and a modified magnetic dynamic equation was developed. Both the free layer's local magnetic moments and itinerant electrons' spins were regarded as a macro-spin, whose movement was resulted from two items: spin relaxation due to the magnetic damping and spin accumulation due to the polarized current. The injected current not only produces a spin transfer torque, but also alters the effective magnetic field, and thus affects the damping. Therefore, the damping is nonlinear and correlated to the current. Based on the analysis of the competition between magnetic damping and spin accumulation, the dynamic behaviors of magnetization switching and oscillation can be explained.

The ferromagnetic/nonmagnetic (FM/NM) interfacial effects on the spin accumulation in the free layer were studied in a pseudo-spin-valve structure (PSVs) consisting of two FM layers separated by a NM spacer layer. We developed a spin current model for the current-induced magnetic switching (CIMS) effect based on the spin diffusion equations and appropriate boundary conditions, and derived a new formula for the spin-dependent electrochemical potentials that are related to the spin-dependent density of states. The results indicate that the spin accumulation in the free layer mainly depends on the interfacial spin asymmetry coefficient Ξ?which originates from the spin-dependent interfacial conductance. In the parallel (anti-parallel) configuration of the magnetization direction for the free and fixed layer, the positive (negative) electron current (electrons from the free layer to the fixed layer and vice versa) drives the spin current polarization factor at the interface between the top electrode and the free layer to vary from Ξ? (-Ξ?) to 0, while at the interface between the free layer and the spacer layer the spin current polarization factor vary from Ξ? (0) to Ξ?/2, which means the total spin current polarization factor in the free layer varies from 0 (Ξ?) to Ξ?/2. These results show that the anti-parallel configuration has a less critical switching current than that of the parallel configuration. Thus, we can design PSVs with symmetrical critical current based on the model.

AbstratEffect of pre-deposited boron atoms on self-assembled growth of Ge islands on Si(100) substrate by UHV/CVD was investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Proportion of dome-shaped Ge islands increases with the increasing of flux of B2H6. Quite uniform dome-shaped Ge quantum dots with size distribution of less than ±3%, which is narrower than the size distribution of typical bimodal self-assembled Ge dots, were obtained after appropriate boron pre-deposition. Based on the shape transition model we proposed before, the uniform size and shape distributions after boron pre-deposition were explained. The results show that boron pre-deposition can be used to fabricate uniform Ge quantum dots to meet the requirements of opto-electronic devices.