Spin-polarized currents in ferromagnetic multilayers (Q886054)

The paper proposes a semi-implicit method for numerical integration of three-dimensional equations describing multilayered magnetic media with polarized spin currents flowing across them. The model is motivated by magnetic memory devices. The mathematical model includes the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation for the magnetization, coupled to an effective diffusion equation for the spin accumulation. The equations are supplemented by boundary conditions corresponding to finite-thickness stack of the magnetic material (in particular, the diffusion coefficient suffers a jump at the boundary). The complexity of the proposed method is comparable to that involved in solving the linear heat-conductivity equation in three dimensions by means of the backward Euler method. As an illustration, a numerical solution is given for the magnetization-reversal process, controlled by the current flowing across the layers. Numerically computed hysteresis loops and configurations are produced.