arXiv subjects

D. C. Ralph

Publications and source records attributed to D. C. Ralph.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv2004

Spin-Transfer Effects in Nanoscale Magnetic Tunnel Junctions

We report measurements of magnetic switching and steady-state magnetic precession driven by spin-polarized currents in nanoscale magnetic tunnel junctions with low-resistance, < 5 Ohm-micron-squared, barriers. The current densities required for magnetic switching are similar to values for all-metallic spin-valve devices. In the tunnel junctions, spin-transfer-driven switching can occur at voltages that are high enough to quench the tunnel magnetoresistance, demonstrating that the current remains spin-polarized at these voltages.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2004

Temperature dependence of spin-transfer-induced switching of nanomagnets

We measure the temperature, magnetic-field, and current dependence for the switching of nanomagnets by a spin-polarized current. Depending on current bias, switching can occur between either two static magnetic states or a static state and a current-driven precessional mode. In both cases, the switching is thermally activated and governed by the sample temperature, not a higher effective magnetic temperature. The activation barriers for switching between static states depend linearly on current, with a weaker dependence for dynamic to static switching.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2004

Current-Induced Nanomagnet Dynamics for Magnetic Fields Perpendicular to the Sample Plane

We present electrical measurements of high-frequency magnetic dynamics excited by spin-polarized currents in Co/Cu/Ni80Fe20 nanopillar devices, with a magnetic field applied perpendicular to the sample layers. As a function of current and magnetic field, the dynamical phase diagram contains several distinguishable precessional modes and also static magnetic states. Using detailed comparisons with numerical simulations, we provide rigorous tests of the theory of spin-transfer torques.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2004

Reduction of spin transfer by synthetic antiferromagnets

Synthetic antiferromagnetic layers (SAF) are incorporated into spin transfer nanopillars giving a layer composition [Co(bottom)/Ru/Co(fixed)]/Cu/Co(free), where square brackets indicate the SAF. The Co(bottom) and Co(fixed) layers are aligned antiparallel (AP) by strong indirect exchange coupling through the Ru spacer. All three magnetic layers are patterned, so this AP alignment reduces undesirable dipole fields on the Co(free) layer. Adding the Co(bottom)/Ru layers reduces the spin polarization of the electron current passing through the nanopillar, leading to a decreased spin-torque per unit current incident on the Co(free) layer. This may be advantageous for device applications requiring a reduction of the effects of a spin-torque, such as nanoscale CPP-GMR read heads.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2003

Vibration-assisted electron tunneling in C_{140} single-molecule transistors

We measure electron tunneling in single-molecule transistors made from C_{140}, a molecule with a mass-spring-mass geometry chosen as a model system to study electron-vibration coupling. We observe vibration-assisted tunneling at an energy corresponding to the stretching mode of C_{140}. Molecular modeling provides explanations for why this mode couples more strongly to electron tunneling than the other internal modes of the molecule. We make comparisons between the observed tunneling rates and those expected from the Franck-Condon model.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2003

Metal-nanoparticle single-electron transistors fabricated using electromigration

We have fabricated single-electron transistors from individual metal nanoparticles using a geometry that provides improved coupling between the particle and the gate electrode. This is accomplished by incorporating a nanoparticle into a gap created between two electrodes using electromigration, all on top of an oxidized aluminum gate. We achieve sufficient gate coupling to access more than ten charge states of individual gold nanoparticles (5-15 nm in diameter). The devices are sufficiently stable to permit spectroscopic studies of the electron-in-a-box level spectra within the nanoparticle as its charge state is varied.

cond-mat↗

arXiv2003

Microwave Oscillations of a Nanomagnet Driven by a Spin-Polarized Current

We describe direct electrical measurements of microwave-frequency dynamics in individual nanomagnets that are driven by spin transfer from a DC spin-polarized current. We map out the dynamical stability diagram as a function of current and magnetic field, and we show that spin transfer can produce several different types of magnetic excitations, including small-angle precession, a more complicated large-angle motion, and a high-current state that generates little microwave signal. The large-angle mode can produce a significant emission of microwave energy, as large as 40 times the Johnson-noise background.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2002

Using single quantum states as spin filters to study spin polarization in ferromagnets

By measuring electron tunneling between a ferromagnet and individual energy levels in an aluminum quantum dot, we show how spin-resolved quantum states can be used as filters to determine spin-dependent tunneling rates. We also observe magnetic-field-dependent shifts in the magnet's electrochemical potential relative to the dot's energy levels. The shifts vary between samples and are generally smaller than expected from the magnet's spin-polarized density of states. We suggest that they are affected by field-dependent charge redistribution at the magnetic interface.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2002

Measurements of strongly-anisotropic g-factors for spins in single quantum states

We have measured the full angular dependence, as a function of the direction of magnetic field, for the Zeeman splitting of individual energy states in copper nanoparticles. The g-factors for spin splitting are highly anisotropic, with angular variations as large as a factor of five. The angular dependence fits well to ellipsoids. Both the principal-axis directions and g-factor magnitudes vary between different energy levels within one nanoparticle. The variations agree quantitatively with random-matrix theory predictions which incorporate spin-orbit coupling.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2002

Thermally-Activated Magnetic Reversal Induced by a Spin-Polarized Current

We have measured the statistical properties of magnetic reversal in nanomagnets driven by a spin-polarized current. Like reversal induced by a magnetic field, spin-transfer-driven reversal near room temperature exhibits the properties of thermally-activated escape over an effective barrier. However, the spin-transfer effect produces qualitatively different behaviors than an applied magnetic field. We discuss an effective current vs. field phase diagram. If the current and field are tuned so that their effects oppose one another, the magnet can be driven superparamagnetic.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2001

Solving rate equations for electron tunneling via discrete quantum states

We consider the form of the current-voltage curves generated when tunneling spectroscopy is used to measure the energies of individual electronic energy levels in nanometer-scale systems. We point out that the voltage positions of the tunneling resonances can undergo temperature-dependent shifts, leading to errors in spectroscopic measurements that are proportional to temperature. We do this by solving the set of rate equations that can be used to describe electron tunneling via discrete quantum states, for a number of cases important for comparison to experiments, including (1) when just one spin-degenerate level is accessible for transport, (2) when 2 spin-degenerate levels are accessible, with no variation in electron-electron interactions between eigenstates, and (3) when 2 spin-degenerate levels are accessible, but with variations in electron-electron interactions. We also comment on the general case with an arbitrary number of accessible levels. In each case we analyze the voltage-positions, amplitudes, and widths of the current steps due to the quantum states.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2001

Magnetic Anisotropy Variations and Non-Equilibrium Tunneling in a Cobalt Nanoparticle

We present detailed measurements of the discrete electron-tunneling level spectrum within nanometer-scale cobalt particles as a function of magnetic field and gate voltage, in this way probing individual quantum many-body eigenstates inside ferromagnetic samples. Variations among the observed levels indicate that different quantum states within one particle are subject to different magnetic anisotropy energies. Gate-voltage studies demonstrate that the low-energy tunneling spectrum is affected dramatically by the presence of non-equilibrium spin excitations.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2001

Studies of spin-orbit scattering in noble-metal nanoparticles using energy level tunneling spectroscopy

The effects of spin-orbit scattering on discrete electronic energy levels are studied in copper, silver, and gold nanoparticles. Level-to-level fluctuations of the effective $g$-factor for Zeeman splitting are characterized, and the statistics are found to be well-described by random matrix theory predictions. The strength of spin-orbit scattering increases with atomic number and also varies between nanoparticles made of the same metal. The spin-orbit scattering rates in the nanoparticles are in order-of-magnitude agreement with bulk measurements on disordered samples.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2001

Equilibrium and non-equilibrium electron tunneling via discrete quantum states

Tunneling is measured via the quantum levels of a metal nanoparticle. We analyze quantitatively the resonance energies, widths, and amplitudes, both in the regime where only one state is accessible for tunneling and in the non-equilibrium regime when additional states are made accessible one-by-one. For tunneling through one state, our results agree with expectations for sequential tunneling, but in the non-equilibrium regime the resonances are broadened and shifted in ways that require taking into account electron interactions and relaxation.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2001

A Model for Ferromagnetic Nanograins with Discrete Electronic States

We propose a simple phenomenological model for an ultrasmall ferromagnetic grain, formulated in terms of the grain's discrete energy levels. We compare the model's predictions with recent measurements of the discrete tunneling spectrum through such a grain. The model can qualitatively account for the observed features if we assume (i) that the anisotropy energy varies among different eigenstates of one grain, and (ii) that nonequilibrium spin accumulation occurs.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2001

Spectroscopy of discrete energy levels in ultrasmall metallic grains

We review recent experimental and theoretical work on ultrasmall metallic grains, i.e. grains sufficiently small that the conduction electron energy spectrum becomes discrete. The discrete excitation spectrum of an individual grain can be measured by the technique of single-electron tunneling spectroscopy: the spectrum is extracted from the current-voltage characteristics of a single-electron transistor containing the grain as central island. We review experiments studying the influence on the discrete spectrum of superconductivity, nonequilibrium excitations, spin-orbit scattering and ferromagnetism. We also review the theoretical descriptions of these phenomena in ultrasmall grains, which require modifications or extensions of the standard bulk theories to include the effects of level discreteness.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2000

The Role of Spin-Dependent Interface Scattering in Generating Current-Induced Torques in Magnetic Multilayers

We present a calculation of current-induced torques in metallic magnetic multilayers derived from the spin-dependent transmission and reflection properties of the magnetic layers. A scattering formalism is employed to calculate the torques in a magnetic-nonmagnetic-magnetic trilayer, for currents perpendicular to the layers, in both the ballistic and diffusive regimes.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv1999

Dephasing in Metals by Two-Level Systems in the 2-Channel-Kondo Regime

We point out a novel, non-universal contribution to the dephasing rate 1/τ_ϕ\equiv γ_ϕof conduction electrons in metallic systems: scattering off non-magnetic two-level systems (TLSs) having almost degenerate Kondo ground states. In the regime Δ_{ren} < T < T_K (Δ_{ren} = renormalized level splitting, T_K = Kondo temperature), such TLSs exhibit non-Fermi-liquid physics that can cause γ_ϕ, which generally decreases with decreasing T, to seemingly saturate in a limited temperature range before vanishing for T \to 0. This could explain the saturation of dephasing recently observed in gold wires [Mohanty et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 3366 (1997)].

cond-mat.str-el↗