title: Fast current-induced domain-wall motion controlled by the Rashba effect.
abstract: The propagation of magnetic domain walls induced by spin-polarized currents has launched new concepts for memory and logic devices. A wave of studies focusing on permalloy (NiFe) nanowires has found evidence for high domain-wall velocities (100 m s(-1); refs,), but has also exposed the drawbacks of this phenomenon for applications. Often the domain-wall displacements are not reproducible, their depinning from a thermally stable position is difficult and the domain-wall structural instability (Walker breakdown) limits the maximum velocity. Here, we show that the combined action of spin-transfer and spin-orbit torques offers a comprehensive solution to these problems. In an ultrathin Co nanowire, integrated in a trilayer with structural inversion asymmetry (SIA), the high spin-torque efficiency facilitates the depinning and leads to high mobility, while the SIA-mediated Rashba field controlling the domain-wall chirality stabilizes the Bloch domain-wall structure. Thus, the high-mobility regime is extended to higher current densities, allowing domain-wall velocities up to 400 m s(-1).
authors.affiliation: SPINTEC, UMR-8191, CEA/CNRS/UJF/GINP, INAC, F-38054 Grenoble, France. mihai.miron.icn@uab.es.
authors.forename: Ioan Mihai
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Miron
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Helga
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Szambolics
authors.forename: Liliana Daniela
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Buda-Prejbeanu
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Auffret
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rodmacq
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pizzini
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vogel
authors.forename: Marlio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonfim
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schuhl
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gaudin