Moving magnetic domain walls with sound alone
Surface Acoustic Waves (SAW) have been used in spintronic applications to decrease the magnetic field or the electric current required to act on the magnetization. A common belief is that a SAW alone cannot achieve a directed magnetic switching in a device without an assisting magnetic field or electric current. In this work, we demonstrate magnetic domain wall motion driven solely by an acoustic wave. Using XMCD-PEEM, we show extensive evidence of SAW-induced and field-free magnetic domain wall motion (DW) in the direction of the wave propagation. Our micromagnetic simulations reveal a mechanism that allows the SAW to transfer linear momentum to the DW. Experimentally, the largest DW average velocity measured was ~12 m/s, although our simulations predict that velocities in the range of 100 m/s could be attained. This new mechanism opens the door to designing innovative spintronic devices where the magnetization can be controlled exclusively by an acoustic wave.
Authors
- M. del Mar Sanz Lluch (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7810-7460)
- Saül Vélez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0019-2271)
- M. Maícas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2545-6771)
- Michael H Foerster (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4147-6668)
- Miguel Ángel Niño (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3692-147X)
- M. Abuín (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5058-3262)
- Alejandro Rivelles (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5630-4589)
- L. López-Dı́az (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9773-1875)
- Jorge Pedrós (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3154-0187)
- F. Calle (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7869-6704)
- Sandra Ruiz‐Gómez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9665-2059)
- Muhammad Waqas Khaliq (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9696-3498)
- L. Torres (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9945-7331)
- José Luis Prieto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2298-2714)
- Rodrigo Guedas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5971-6332)
- J. Grandal (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4183-8999)
- R. Yanes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7268-4710)
- Raúl Izquierdo-López (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9872-1698)
- Laura Fernández-García (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3874-2205)
- Guzmán Orero-Gámez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-1598-7716)
- Maedeh Sepehr
Institutions
- Universidad Complutense de Madrid (ES)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Universidad de Salamanca (ES)
- Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (FR)
- ALBA Synchrotron (Spain) (ES)
- CEA Grenoble (FR)
- Spintronique et Technologie des Composants (FR)
- Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (ES)
- Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (ES)
- Université Grenoble Alpes (FR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2025-11-12
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-64934-6
- Primary Topic
- Magnetic properties of thin films
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- European Commission
- Generalitat de Catalunya
- Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación