High-mobility inertial domain walls driven by spin-transfer torque in a ferrimagnetic spinel oxide

Abstract

Efficient electrical manipulation of domain walls is key to developing magnetic devices with fast switching capabilities and low energy consumption. Here we demonstrate Bloch-type domain wall velocities exceeding 1 km s$^{-1}$ in the single-layer ferrimagnetic spinel oxide NiCo$_2$O$_4$ induced by spin-transfer torque at a current density of $2 \times 10^{11}$ A m$^{-2}$. This exceptional domain wall mobility is attributed to the combination of giant nonadiabatic spin-transfer torque, low magnetization, and high spin polarization. Additionally, we report a pronounced domain wall inertia effect in this ferrimagnet due to the large nonadiabaticity of the torque. The characteristic time for domain wall acceleration and deceleration is $\sim 1$ ns, shorter than that reported for typical ferromagnets. Our findings highlight the potential of spinel oxides as a promising platform for engineering high-performance domain wall devices that take advantage of ultrafast ferrimagnetic dynamics.