Current-induced magnetization reversal in magnetic nanowires

The effect of pulsed currents on magnetization reversal were studied on sin gle ferromagnetic nanowires of diameter about 80 nm and 6000 nm length. The magnetization reversal in these wires occurs with a jump of the magnetizat ion at the switching field H-sw, which corresponds to unstable states of th e magnetization. a pulsed current of about; 10(7) A/cm(2) was injected at d ifferent values of the applied field close to H-sw. The injected current tr iggered the magnetization reversal at a value of the applied field distant from the switching field by as much as 20%. This effect of current-induced magnetization reversal is interpreted in terms of the action of the spin-po larized conduction electrons on the magnetization.