Correlation of the angular dependence of spin-transfer torque and giant magnetoresistance in the limit of diffusive transport in spin valves

Abstract

Angular variation of giant magnetoresistance and spin-transfer torque in metallic spin-valve heterostructures is analyzed theoretically in the limit of diffusive transport. It is shown that the spin-transfer torque in asymmetric spin valves can vanish in non-collinear magnetic configurations, and such a non-standard behavior of the torque is generally associated with a non-monotonic angular dependence of the giant magnetoresistance, with a global minimum at a non-collinear magnetic configuration.