Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026

Fabrication of Magnetic Nanostructures on Silicon Nitride Membranes for Magnetic Vortex Studies Using Transmission Microscopy Techniques
Published on: July 2, 2018
Time-resolved spin-torque switching and enhanced damping in permalloy/Cu/permalloy spin-valve nanopillars
N C Emley1, I N Krivorotov, O Ozatay
1Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853-2501, USA.
Abstract:
We report time-resolved measurements of current-induced reversal of a free magnetic layer in Permalloy/Cu/Permalloy elliptical nanopillars at temperatures T=4.2 K to 160 K. Comparison of the data to Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert macrospin simulations of the free layer switching yields numerical values for the spin torque and the Gilbert damping parameters as functions of T. The damping is strongly T dependent, which we attribute to the presence of an antiferromagnetic oxide layer around the perimeter of the Permalloy free layer. This adventitious antiferromagnetic oxide can have a major impact on spin-torque phenomena.
Related Concept Videos
Magnetic Damping
If, however, the bob is a slotted metal plate, the magnet produces a much smaller effect. When a slotted metal plate enters the field, an emf is induced by the change in flux; however, it is less effective because the slots limit the...
Torque On A Current Loop In A Magnetic Field
Consider a rectangular current-carrying loop containing N turns of wire, placed in a uniform magnetic field. The net force on a current-carrying loop...
Paramagnetism
Spin–Spin Coupling: Two-Bond Coupling (Geminal Coupling)
The central atom need not be NMR-active because its electrons are affected by the electron polarization of the spin-active atoms. However, spin information is transmitted less effectively than in one-bond coupling, and 2J values are usually weaker than 1J values. The energy of...
Double Resonance Techniques: Overview
Spin decoupling is usually achieved by...
Colors and Magnetism
When atoms or molecules absorb light at the proper frequency, their electrons are excited to higher-energy orbitals. For many main group atoms and molecules, the absorbed photons are in the ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum, which cannot be detected by the human eye. For coordination compounds, the energy difference between the d orbitals often allows photons in the visible range to be absorbed and emitted, which is seen as colors by the human eye.

