Modeling of fast switching processes in nano-scale spin-valves

Braganca [Appl. Phys. Lett. 87, 112507 (2005)] fabricated spin valves (permalloy/copper/permalloy) with elliptical cross-sectional area designed to reduce the critical currents for spin-transfer switching maintaining its thermal stability. We performed a numerical experiment in that spin valve to study how the switching time is affected by saturation magnetization and damping. Those parameters can be experimentally tuned by changing the alloy percentage or by introducing impurities. We find out the switching time and the switching mechanism are independent of those parameters for nanosecond reversal processes