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Thermodynamic magnon recoil for domain wall motion

Peng Yan, Yunshan Cao, and Jairo Sinova
Phys. Rev. B 92, 100408(R) – Published 30 September 2015

Abstract

We predict a thermodynamic magnon recoil effect for domain wall motions in the presence of temperature gradients. All current thermodynamic theories assert that a magnetic domain wall must move toward the hotter side, based on equilibrium thermodynamic arguments. Microscopic calculations, on the other hand, show that a domain wall can move either along or against the direction of heat currents, depending on how strong the magnonic heat currents are reflected by the domain wall. We have resolved the inconsistency between these two approaches by augmenting the theory in the presence of thermal gradients by incorporating in the free energy of domain walls a heat current term present in nonequilibrium steady states. The condition to observe a domain wall propagation toward the colder regime is derived analytically and can be tested by future experiments.

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  • Received 10 April 2015
  • Revised 13 September 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.92.100408

©2015 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Peng Yan1, Yunshan Cao2, and Jairo Sinova1

  • 1Institut für Physik, Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz, Staudinger Weg 7, 55128 Mainz, Germany
  • 2Kavli Institute of NanoScience, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands

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Issue

Vol. 92, Iss. 10 — 1 September 2015

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