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Micromagnetic Spin Structure

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Spin Electronics

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Physics ((LNP,volume 569))

Abstract

Magnetization inhomogenities, associated for example with grain boundaries, give rise to local spin-dependent potentials and affect the magnetoresistance. The local magnetization M(r) depends on both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Intrinsic properties, such as spontaneous magnetization and anisotropy, are determined on an atomic scale and are basically independent of the material’s real structure and history. Extrinsic properties, such as remanence and coercivity, are linked to magnetic hysteresis, realized on mesoscopic or macroscopic length scales, and are strongly real-structure dependent. The local magnetization M(r), which determines the magnetoresistance, is determined from a nonlinear and nonlocal micromagnetic energy functional containing the intrinsic properties as parameters. This chapter focuses on basic micromagnetic effects and on the spin structure at grain boundaries. Continuum and layer-resolved analytic calculations yield a quasi-discontinuity of the magnetization between misaligned and in-completely exchange-coupled grains and a disproportionally large grain-boundary magnetoresistance.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy and Center for Materials Research and Analysis, University of Nebraska, 68588, Lincoln, NE, USA

    R. Skomski

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  1. R. Skomski
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept.of Superconductivity and Magnetism, University of Leipzig, Linnestrasse 5, 04103, Leipzig, Germany

    Michael Ziese

  2. Clarendon Laboratory, Oxford University, Parks Road, 3PU OX1, Oxford, UK

    Martin J. Thornton

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© 2001 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Skomski, R. (2001). Micromagnetic Spin Structure. In: Ziese, M., Thornton, M.J. (eds) Spin Electronics. Lecture Notes in Physics, vol 569. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-45258-3_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-45258-3_10

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-41804-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-45258-4

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