Impact of interface anisotropy on spin polarized current driven switching in FePt/Au/FePt nanopillar

Abstract: Magnetization switching dynamics in FePt/Au/FePt nanopillar, induced by spin-transfer torque is investigated by solving the Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert–Slonczewski equation. The switching of magnetization occurs in the device, above a threshold current density of , which agrees well with the previously reported experimentally measured value. This further reduces to , when there is interface anisotropy in the free FePt layer, whose presence has been identified recently through scanning tunneling microscopy images and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism. The interface anisotropy also reduces the switching time from 15.59ps to 9.56ps when the device having a free FePt layer of thickness 1.5nm is operated with a current density of . [Copyright &y& Elsevier]