Eur. Phys. J. B (2017) 90: 122
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2017-80069-8

Regular Article

Spin transfer torque in non-collinear magnetic tunnel junctions exhibiting quasiparticle bands: a non-equilibrium Green’s function study

Materials Science Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, HBNI, 603102 Kalpakkam, India

^a e-mail: smathi@igcar.gov.in

Received: 30 January 2017
Received in final form: 12 April 2017
Published online: 26 June 2017

Abstract

A non-equilibrium Green’s function formulation to study the spin transfer torque (STT) in non-collinear magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) exhibiting quasiparticle bands is developed. The formulation can be used to study the magnetoresistance and spin current too. The formulation is used to study the STT in model tunnel junctions exhibiting multiple layers and quasiparticle bands. The many body interaction that gives rise to quasiparticle bands is assumed to be a s − f exchange interaction at the electrode regions of the MTJ. The quasiparticle bands are obtained using a many body procedure and the single particle band structure is obtained using the tight binding model. The bias dependence of the STT as well as the influence of band occupancy and s − f exchange coupling strength on the STT are studied. We find from our studies that the band occupancy plays a significant role in deciding the STT and the s − f interaction strength too influences the STT significantly. Anomalous behavior in both the parallel and perpendicular components of the STT is obtained from our studies. Our results obtained for certain values of the band occupation are found to show the trend observed from the experimental measurements of STT.