Creep of current-driven domain-wall lines: intrinsic versus extrinsic pinning

Abstract

We present a model for current-driven motion of a magnetic domain-wall line, in which the dynamics of the domain wall is equivalent to that of an overdamped vortex line in an anisotropic pinning potential. This potential has both extrinsic contributions due to, e.g., sample inhomogeneities, and an intrinsic contribution due to magnetic anisotropy. We obtain results for the domain-wall velocity as a function of current for various regimes of pinning. In particular, we find that the exponent characterizing the creep regime depends strongly on the presence of a dissipative spin transfer torque. We discuss our results in the light of recent experiments on current-driven domain-wall creep in ferromagnetic semiconductors, and suggest further experiments to corroborate our model.