Domain Wall Dynamics
Archived Project
Description of the project
The study of domain wall dynamics in ferromagnets encompasses several core ideas of modern theoretical physics, including topology and non-equilibrium statistical physics. This research project focuses on theoretical and numerical studies of dynamics of domain walls in various low-dimensional ferromagnetic structures such as thin films, nanowires and -strips. The key issues to be addressed are the effects of structural disorder and thermal fluctuations on the domain wall dynamics, driven by either applied magnetic fields or spin-polarized electric currents. The study relates in particular to fundamental theoretical questions in modern statistical physics of elastic interfaces in random media, and has also important practical implications for the operation of next generation memory and logic devices based on domain walls. The project is pursued within Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University, as well as within the Complex Systems group at the Computational Physics Laboratory, Tampere University.
People
Dr. Lasse Laurson, Project leader, Associate Professor (tenure track), lasse.laurson (at) tuni.fi
Dr. Audun Skaugen, Postdoctoral Researcher, audun.skaugen (at) tuni.fi
Former members:
Dr. Peyton Murray (postdoc)
Dr. Ilari Rissanen (doctoral student, PhD in October 2019). Doctoral thesis available here.
Dr. Touko Herranen (doctoral student, PhD in September 2018). Doctoral thesis available here.
Dr. Virginia Estevez Nuño (postdoc)
Publications
1. A. Skaugen, P. Murray, and L. Laurson, Analytical computation of the demagnetizing energy of thin film domain walls, Phys. Rev. B 100, 094440 (2019).
2. I. Rissanen and L. Laurson, Bursty magnetic friction between polycrystalline thin films with domain walls, Phys. Rev. B 100, 144408 (2019)..
3. T. Herranen and L. Laurson, Barkhausen noise from precessional domain wall motion, Phys. Rev. Lett. 122, 117205 (2019). See also the related news story on the website of Tampere University.
4. J. Hütner, T. Herranen, and L. Laurson, Multistep Bloch-line-mediated Walker breakdown in ferromagnetic strips, Phys. Rev. B 99, 174427 (2019).
5. I. Rissanen and L. Laurson, Magnetic non-contact friction from domain wall dynamics actuated by oscillatory mechanical motion, J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 52, 445002 (2019).
6. I. Rissanen and L. Laurson, Moving magnets in a micromagnetic finite difference framework, Phys. Rev. E 97, 053301 (2018).
7. S. Janicevic, D. Jovkovic, L. Laurson, and D. Spasojevic, Threshold-induced correlations in the Random Field Ising Model, Sci. Rep. 8, 2571 (2018).
8. T. Herranen and L. Laurson, Bloch line dynamics within moving domain walls in 3D ferromagnets, Phys. Rev. B 96, 144422 (2017).
9. S. Janicevic, L. Laurson, K. J. Måløy, S. Santucci, and M. J. Alava, Janicevic et al. reply, Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 188901 (2017).
10. V. Estevez and L. Laurson, Fast vortex wall motion in wide Permalloy strips due to double switching of the vortex core, Phys. Rev. B 96, 064420 (2017). Part of a figure selected for PRB Kaleidoscope.
11. S. Janicevic, L. Laurson, K. J. Måløy, S. Santucci, and M. J. Alava, Interevent Correlations from Avalanches Hiding Below the Detection Threshold, Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 230601 (2016). Also featured in APS Physics, and by IOP Physics World “Flash Physics”.
12. I. Rissanen and L. Laurson, Coarsening dynamics of topological defects in thin Permalloy films, Phys. Rev. B 94, 144428 (2016).
13. J. Leliaert, B. Van de Wiele, A. Vansteenkiste, L. Laurson, G. Durin, L. Dupre, and B. Van Waeyenberge, Creep turns linear in narrow ferromagnetic nanostrips, Sci. Rep. 6, 20472 (2016).
14. V. Estevez and L. Laurson, Magnetic domain-wall dynamics in wide Permalloy strips, Phys. Rev. B 93, 064403 (2016). Part of a figure selected for PRB Kaleidoscope.
15. T. Herranen and L. Laurson, Domain walls within domain walls in wide ferromagnetic strips, Phys. Rev. B 92, 100405(R) (2015).
16. V. Estevez and L. Laurson, Head-to-head domain wall structures in wide Permalloy strips, Phys. Rev. B 91, 054407 (2015).
17. J. Leliaert, B. Van de Wiele, J. Vandermeulen, A. Coene, A. Vansteenkiste, L. Laurson, G. Durin, B. Van Waeyenberge, and L. Dupre, Thermal effects on transverse domain wall dynamics in magnetic nanowires, Appl. Phys. Lett. 106, 202401 (2015).
18. L. Laurson, G. Durin, and S. Zapperi, Universality classes and crossover scaling of Barkhausen noise in thin films, Phys. Rev. B 89, 104402 (2014). Fig. 1 selected for PRB Kaleidoscope.
19. J. Leliaert, B. Van de Wiele, A. Vansteenkiste, L. Laurson, G. Durin, L. Dupre, and B. Van Waeyenberge, Influence of material defects on current-driven vortex domain wall mobility, Phys. Rev. B 89, 064419 (2014).
20. J. Leliaert, B. Van de Wiele, A. Vansteenkiste, L. Laurson, G. Durin, L. Dupre, and B. Van Waeyenberge, Current-driven domain wall mobility in polycrystalline Permalloy nanowires: a numerical study, J. Appl. Phys. 115, 233903 (2014).
21. J. Leliaert, B. Van de Wiele, A. Vansteenkiste, L. Laurson, G. Durin, L. Dupre, and B. Van Waeyenberge, A numerical approach to incorporate intrinsic material defects in micromagnetic simulations, J. Appl. Phys. 115, 17D102 (2014).