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# Thermokinetic approach of the generalized Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation with spin polarized current

## I Conservation laws

Spin-dependent transport processes in layered structures are described on the basis of the following simple picture. After entering in the k-th layer $`\mathrm{\Sigma }^k`$ , the incident current (which was spin polarized along the axis described by the unite vector $`\pm \stackrel{}{u}_{k1}`$ in the layer $`\mathrm{\Sigma }^{k1}`$) first aligns  along the axis $`\pm \stackrel{}{u}_k`$. Inside the ferromagnetic layer, the population of spin up ($`N_+`$) and spin down ($`N_{}`$) is then not conserved due to spin-flip scattering, and some of the down spins relax to the up direction.

In this picture, the states of the sub-system $`\mathrm{\Sigma }^k`$ are described by the variables

$$(S^k,\stackrel{}{M_0^k},N_+^k,N_{}^k,\dot{\stackrel{}{M_0}}^k)$$
(1)
where $`S^k`$ is the entropy, $`\stackrel{}{M_0^k}=M_s^k\stackrel{}{u}_k`$ is the magnetization of the layer k without current, $`N_\pm ^k`$ is the number of conduction electrons with spin parallel to the unit vector $`\pm \stackrel{}{u}_k`$ and $`\dot{\stackrel{}{M_0}}^k`$ is the time derivative of the magnetization in the layer k without current.

If $`\stackrel{}{M_0^k}`$ and $`N_\pm ^k`$ are independent variables, the conservation of the magnetic momentum reads

$$\frac{d\stackrel{}{M^k}}{dt}=\dot{\stackrel{}{M_0}}^k+g\mu _B(\dot{N}_+^k\dot{N}_{}^k)\stackrel{}{u}_{k1}$$
(2)
where $`\mu _B`$ is the Bohr magneton and $`g`$ is the Landé factor.

In order to write the conservation laws, the spin-flip scattering mechanism is described as a chemical reaction transforming a spin down into a spin up along the axis $`\pm \stackrel{}{u}_k`$. In this context, the reaction rate $`\dot{\mathrm{\Psi }}^k`$ is introduced as the number of chemical events per unit of time , . Let $`I_+^{kk+1}`$ and $`I_{}^{kk+1}`$ be the current of particles flowing from the layer $`\mathrm{\Sigma }^k`$ to the layer $`\mathrm{\Sigma }^{k+1}`$ due respectively to the electrons with spin in the direction $`\stackrel{}{u}_k`$ and to the electrons with spin in the direction $`\stackrel{}{u}_k`$. The conservation of the particles is then described by

$$\{\begin{array}{ccc}\frac{dN_+^k}{dt}\hfill & =\hfill & \alpha (k1;k)I_+^{k1k}+\left(1\alpha (k1;k)\right)I_{}^{k1k}I_+^{kk+1}\dot{\mathrm{\Psi }}^k\hfill \\ \frac{dN_{}^k}{dt}\hfill & =\hfill & \left(1\alpha (k1;k)\right)I_+^{k1k}+\alpha (k1;k)I_{}^{k1k}I_{}^{kk+1}+\dot{\mathrm{\Psi }}^k\hfill \end{array}$$
(3)
where $`\alpha `$ is the spin flip probability of the alignment process . In the case of ballistic alignment $`\alpha (k1;k)=cos^2\left(\frac{1}{2}\theta (k1;k)\right)`$ with $`\theta `$ the angle between $`\stackrel{}{u}_{k1}`$ and $`\stackrel{}{u}_k`$. Introducing the polarized current $`I_p`$, and the normal current $`I_N`$ defined by

$$\{\begin{array}{ccc}I_p^{k1k}\hfill & =\hfill & I_+^{k1k}I_{}^{k1k}\hfill \\ I_N^{k1k}\hfill & =\hfill & I_+^{k1k}+I_{}^{k1k}\hfill \end{array}$$
(4)
the Eq. (3) can be put into the form:

$$\{\begin{array}{ccc}\frac{dN_+^k}{dt}\hfill & =\hfill & I_+^{k1k}I_+^{kk+1}\left[\gamma (k1;k)I_p^{k1k}+\dot{\mathrm{\Psi }}^k\right]\hfill \\ \frac{dN_{}^k}{dt}\hfill & =\hfill & I_{}^{k1k}I_{}^{kk+1}+\left[\gamma (k1;k)I_p^{k1k}+\dot{\mathrm{\Psi }}^k\right]\hfill \end{array}$$
(5)
with $`\gamma (k1;k)=\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}1}\alpha (k1;k)=sin^2\left(\frac{1}{2}\theta (k1;k)\right)`$

Inserting Eq. (5) into Eq. (2) the conservation of the magnetization reads:

$$\frac{d\stackrel{}{M^k}}{dt}=\stackrel{}{\dot{M_0}}^k+g\mu _B\stackrel{}{u}_{k1}\left(I_p^{k1k}I_p^{kk+1}\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}2}\left[\gamma (k1;k)I_p^{k1k}+\dot{\mathrm{\Psi }}^k\right]\right)$$
(6)
The problem of the spin transfer between the polarized current and the magnetic layer is hence solved if the polarized current $`I_p`$ and the reaction rates $`\dot{\mathrm{\Psi }}`$ can be describe as functions of the experimentally accessible parameters, the current $`I_N`$, the electric field $`E_0`$ and the kinetic coefficients. This task is typically performed by the application of the first and second laws of the thermodynamics.

## II Kinetic equations

The system $`\mathrm{\Sigma }^k`$ is open to heat transfer, to chemical transfer, and to mechanical work due to the magnetization and magnetic fields. Let us define the heat and chemical power by $`P_\varphi `$ and the mechanical power by $`P_W`$. The first law of the thermodynamics applied to the layer $`\mathrm{\Sigma }^k`$ gives

$$\frac{dE^k}{dt}=P_\varphi ^{k1k}P_\varphi ^{kk+1}+P_W^{extk}$$
(7)
where $`P_W^{extk}=\stackrel{}{H}^{ext}\dot{\stackrel{}{M}^k}`$. Furthermore, with using the canonical definitions $`T^k=\frac{E^k}{S^k},\mu _\pm ^k=\frac{E^k}{N_\pm ^k},\stackrel{}{H}^k=\frac{E^k}{\stackrel{}{M}^k}`$ the energy variation is:

$$\frac{dE^k}{dt}=T^k\frac{dS^k}{dt}+\mu _+^k\frac{dN_+^k}{dt}+\mu _{}^k\frac{dN_{}^k}{dt}\stackrel{}{H}^k\frac{d\stackrel{}{M}^k}{dt}+\frac{E^k}{\dot{\stackrel{}{M}_0^k}}\frac{d\dot{\stackrel{}{M}_0^k}}{dt}$$
(8)
In the present work we limit our analysis to the isothermal case, $`T^k=T`$. The entropy variation of the sub-layer is deduced from the two last equations, after introducing the conservation laws:

$`T{\displaystyle \frac{dS^k}{dt}}`$ $`=`$ $`P_\varphi ^{k1k}P_\varphi ^{kk+1}+(\stackrel{}{H}^k\stackrel{}{H}^{ext})\dot{\stackrel{}{M_0}^k}`$ (11)
$`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}\left(A^k\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}2}g\mu _B(H^{k1}H^{ext,k1})\right)\left(I_p^{k1k}I_p^{kk+1}\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}2}\gamma (k1;k)I_p^{k1k}\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}2}\dot{\mathrm{\Psi }}^k\right)`$
$`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}\mu _0(I_N^{k1k}I_N^{kk+1}){\displaystyle \frac{E^k}{\dot{\stackrel{}{M}_0^k}}}{\displaystyle \frac{d\dot{\stackrel{}{M}_0^k}}{dt}}`$
where the total chemical potential is $`\mu _0^k\mu _+^k+\mu _{}^k`$. We have furthermore defined $`H^{k1}\stackrel{}{H}^k\stackrel{}{u}_{k1}`$ and $`H^{ext,k}\stackrel{}{H}^{ext}\stackrel{}{u}_k`$ . The chemical affinity of the reaction, defined by $`A^k\frac{E^k}{\mathrm{\Psi }}=\mu _+^k\mu _{}^k`$ has also been introduced.

The entropy being an extensive variable, the total entropy variation of the system is obtained by summation over the layers 1 to $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ where the layer 1 is in contact to the left reservoir $`R^l`$ and the layer $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ is in contact to the right reservoir $`R^r`$. Letting

$$\stackrel{~}{A}^kA^k\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}2}g\mu _B(H^{k1}H^{ext,k1})$$
(12)
the total entropy variation is:

$`T{\displaystyle \frac{dS}{dt}}`$ $`=`$ $`[\mathrm{}]^{R^l1}[\mathrm{}]^{\mathrm{\Omega }R^r}`$ (16)
$`+{\displaystyle \underset{k=1}{\overset{\mathrm{\Omega }}{}}}(\stackrel{}{H}^k\stackrel{}{H}^{ext})\stackrel{}{M_0}^k+{\displaystyle \underset{k=1}{\overset{\mathrm{\Omega }}{}}}\left({\displaystyle \frac{E^k}{\dot{\stackrel{}{M}_0^k}}}\right){\displaystyle \frac{d\dot{\stackrel{}{M}_0^k}}{dt}}`$
$`+{\displaystyle \underset{k=2}{\overset{\mathrm{\Omega }}{}}}{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}\left(\stackrel{~}{A}^{k1}\stackrel{~}{A}^k+\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}2}\gamma (k1;k)\stackrel{~}{A}^k\right)I_p^{k1k}`$
$`+{\displaystyle \underset{k=2}{\overset{\mathrm{\Omega }}{}}}{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}(\mu _0^{k1}\mu _0^k)I_N^{k1k}+{\displaystyle \underset{k=1}{\overset{\mathrm{\Omega }}{}}}\stackrel{~}{A}^k\dot{\mathrm{\Psi }}^k`$
where the two first terms in the right hand side of the equality stand for the heat and chemical transfer from the reservoirs to the system $`\mathrm{\Sigma }`$.

The variation of entropy takes the form

$$T\frac{dS}{dt}=\underset{i}{}F_i\dot{X}^i+P^{ext}(t)$$
(17)
where $`F_i`$ are generalized forces and $`\dot{X}^i`$ are the conjugated generalized fluxes. The variation of entropy is composed by an external entropy variation $`P^{ext}(t)/T`$ and by an internal entropy variation $`dS^{int}/dt`$.

By applying the second law of thermodynamics $`dS^{int}/dt0`$ we are leading to introduce the kinetic coefficients $`l_{\alpha \beta }`$ such that $`dS^{int}/dt=_iF_i\left(_jl_{ij}F^j\right)`$. By identification with the expression (16), the kinetic equations are obtained:

$`\left[\begin{array}{c}I_N^{k1k}\\ I_p^{k1k}\\ \dot{\mathrm{\Psi }}^k\\ \dot{\stackrel{}{M_0}^k}\\ \frac{d\dot{\stackrel{}{M}_0^k}}{dt}\end{array}\right]=\left[\begin{array}{ccccc}l_{NN}& l_{Np}& l_{Nc}& l_{NM}& l_{N\dot{M}}\\ l_{pN}& l_{pp}& l_{pc}& l_{pM}& l_{p\dot{M}}\\ l_{cN}& l_{cp}& l_{cc}& l_{cM}& l_{c\dot{M}}\\ l_{MN}& l_{Mp}& l_{Mc}& l_{MM}& l_{M\dot{M}}\\ l_{\dot{M}N}& l_{\dot{M}p}& l_{\dot{M}c}& l_{\dot{M}M}& l_{\dot{M}\dot{M}}\end{array}\right]\left[\begin{array}{c}\frac{1}{2}(\mu _0^{k1}\mu _0^k)\\ \frac{1}{2}\left(\stackrel{~}{A}^{k1}\stackrel{~}{A}^k+\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}2}\gamma (k1;k)\stackrel{~}{A}^k\right)\\ \stackrel{~}{A}^k\\ \stackrel{}{H}^k\stackrel{}{H}^{ext}\\ \left(\frac{E^k}{\dot{\stackrel{}{M}_0^k}}\right)\end{array}\right]`$ (33)
The indices $`N`$ and $`p`$ stand respectively for the normal and polarized transport processes (see section III), the indices $`c`$ stands for the spin-flip scattering chemical reaction and the indices $`M`$ and $`\dot{M}`$ account for the dynamics of the magnetization (see section IV).

The kinetic coefficients are state functions: $`l_{ij}=l_{ij}(S^k,\stackrel{}{M^k},N_+^k,N_{}^k,\dot{\stackrel{}{M}}_0^k)`$ and the symmetrized matrix is positive : $`\frac{1}{2}\left\{l_{ji}+l_{ij}\right\}_{\{ij\}}0`$. Furthermore, according to Onsager relations, the kinetic coefficients are symmetric or antisymmetric $`l_{ij}=\pm l_{ji}`$

We assume in the following that cross effects between electronic transport and ferromagnetic transport are negligible, so that $`l_{ij}=0`$ if $`i=\{N,p,c\}`$ and $`j=\{M,\dot{M}\}`$. Note that a polarized current is directly produced by a non-uniform magnetization state, through the coefficient $`\gamma (k1,k)`$ in Eq (33).

The physical meaning of the kinetic coefficients is described in the two following sections.

## III Giant magnetoresistance

We focus in this section on the first three equations of (33) which describes the electric transport with spin polarization. After performing the continuum limit, we have:

$`\left[\begin{array}{c}J_N\\ J_p\\ \dot{\mathrm{\Psi }}\end{array}\right]=\left[\begin{array}{ccc}L_{NN}& L_{Np}& L_{Nc}\\ L_{pN}& L_{pp}& L_{pc}\\ L_{Nc}& L_{pc}& L_{cc}\end{array}\right]\left[\begin{array}{c}\frac{\mu _0}{z}\\ \frac{A}{z}\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}2}\stackrel{~}{\gamma }A\\ A\end{array}\right]`$ (43)
where $`\stackrel{~}{\gamma }=lim_{dz0}\frac{d\gamma }{dz}`$ and the choice of symmetric coefficients $`L_{pN}=L_{Np}`$ and $`L_{Nc}=L_{cN}`$ is motivated by the fact that we neglect in this work the direct effects of the magnetic field on the charge carriers .

In the framework of the two-channel approximation , the coupling between the two conduction bands is neglected (i.e. there is no cross effect  between the currents $`J_+,J_{}`$, and $`\dot{\mathrm{\Psi }}`$):

$$L_{Nc}=L_{pc}=0;L_{NN}=L_{pp}=\frac{2\sigma _0}{2}$$
(44)
where $`\sigma _0>0`$ is the mean conductivity of the two spin channels. The conductivity asymmetry $`\beta `$ of the two channels is given by

$$L_{Np}\frac{2\sigma _0}{e}\beta $$
(45)
Equation Eq (43) leads then to the set of equations:

$`\left[\begin{array}{c}J_N\\ J_p\\ \dot{\mathrm{\Psi }}\end{array}\right]={\displaystyle \frac{\sigma _0}{e}}\left[\begin{array}{ccc}1& \beta & 0\\ \beta & 1& 0\\ 0& 0& \frac{e}{\sigma _0}L_{cc}\end{array}\right]\left[\begin{array}{c}\frac{\mu _0}{z}\\ \frac{A}{z}\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}2}\stackrel{~}{\gamma }A\\ A\end{array}\right]`$ (55)
with $`1\beta ^2`$ and $`L_{cc}0`$.

In the stationary state, $`\frac{J_N}{z}=0`$, and assuming that $`\beta `$, $`\sigma _0`$ and $`\gamma `$ are approximately independent of z the diffusion equation of the chemical affinity is deduced (see appendix):

$$\frac{^2A}{z^2}=\left(\frac{1}{l_{sf}^2}+\frac{1}{l_{DW}^2}\right)A+k\frac{A}{z},$$
(56)
where the spin diffusion length $`l_{sf}`$ is given by

$$l_{sf}\sqrt{\frac{\sigma _0\left(1\beta ^2\right)}{2eL_{cc}}},$$
(57)
the “Domain Wall” diffusion length $`l_{DW}`$ is given by

$$l_{DW}\sqrt{\frac{\left(1\beta ^2\right)}{4\stackrel{~}{\gamma }^2}},$$
(58)
and the parameter k is given by

$$k\stackrel{~}{\gamma }\frac{2\beta ^2}{\left(1\beta ^2\right)}$$
(59)
Note that the chemical affinity A is equal to the difference of the chemical potentials of the two conduction bands $`A=\mu _+\mu _{}`$. If we assume no rotation of the spin polarization axis, $`\stackrel{~}{\gamma }=\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}0}`$ (which implies antiparallel magnetic configuration at the interface), then equation Eq (56) is the well known diffusion equation describing the so-called “spin accumulation” or “spin depletion” effect responsible for the giant magnetoresistance , , , . A straightforward calculation (see appendix) leads to the giant magnetoresistance of the interface:

$$R^{GMR}=2\frac{\beta ^2}{\sigma _0(1\beta ^2)}l_{sf}$$
(60)
## IV Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert (LLG) equation

In this section we focus on the magnetic transport equation without electric current: $`J_N=J_p=0`$. From Eq (11) the entropy variation reduces to:

$$T\frac{dS}{dt}=P_\varphi ^{extin}P_\varphi ^{inext}+(\stackrel{}{H}\stackrel{}{H}^{ext})\frac{d\stackrel{}{M_0}}{dt}+\left(\frac{E}{\dot{\stackrel{}{M}_0}}\right)\frac{d\dot{\stackrel{}{M}_0}}{dt}$$
(61)
So that the application of the second law of thermodynamics yields,

$`\{\begin{array}{cc}(\stackrel{}{H}\stackrel{}{H}^{ext})& =\stackrel{~}{l}_{MM}\frac{d\stackrel{}{M_0}}{dt}+\stackrel{~}{l}_{M\dot{M}}\frac{d\dot{\stackrel{}{M}_0}}{dt}\\ \left(\frac{E}{\dot{\stackrel{}{M}_0}}\right)& =\stackrel{~}{l}_{\dot{M}M}\frac{d\stackrel{}{M_0}}{dt}+\stackrel{~}{l}_{\dot{M}\dot{M}}\frac{d\dot{\stackrel{}{M}_0}}{dt}\end{array}`$ (64)
where the kinetic coefficients $`\stackrel{~}{l}_{\alpha \beta }`$ are the coefficients of the inverse matrix $`\{l_{\alpha \beta }\}_{\{\alpha \beta \}}^1`$.

Note that in adiabatically closed systems, $`\left(\frac{E}{\dot{\stackrel{}{M}_0}}\right)`$, $`H`$ and $`\frac{d\stackrel{}{M_0}}{dt}`$ are state functions (i.e depend only of the state variables (S, $`\stackrel{}{M}_0`$, $`\dot{\stackrel{}{M}}_0`$), and not on $`\stackrel{}{H}^{ext}`$). Since the kinetic coefficients are also state functions, the first equation in (64) shows hence that $`\frac{d\dot{\stackrel{}{M}_0}}{dt}`$ depends on $`\stackrel{}{H}^{ext}`$. We are then leading to impose $`\stackrel{~}{l}_{\dot{M}\dot{M}}=\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}0}`$ in order to satisfy the second equation in (64), which gives the magnetic kinetic energy . The coefficient $`\stackrel{~}{l}_{\dot{M}M}`$ can be identified to the magnetic mass, and the first equation in (64) gives the total magnetic force $`\stackrel{}{F}^{mag}`$ acting on the system:

$$\stackrel{}{F}^{mag}\stackrel{~}{l}_{M\dot{M}}\frac{d^2\stackrel{}{M}_0}{dt^2}=(\stackrel{}{H}\stackrel{}{H}^{ext})\stackrel{~}{l}_{MM}\frac{d\stackrel{}{M_0}}{dt}$$
(65)
equation (65) rewrites:

$$\stackrel{}{F}^{mag}=\frac{}{\stackrel{}{M}_0}(E\stackrel{}{H}^{ext}.\stackrel{}{M}_0)\eta \frac{d\stackrel{}{M_0}}{dt}$$
(66)
where we have identified the Gilbert friction coefficient ,  to $`\eta =\stackrel{~}{l}_{MM}`$.

The theorem of the kinetic momentum gives the equation of the dynamics:

$$\frac{d\stackrel{}{M}_0}{dt}=\mathrm{\Gamma }\left(\stackrel{}{M}_0\times \stackrel{}{F}^{mag}\right)=\mathrm{\Gamma }\stackrel{}{M}_0\times \left\{\frac{V}{\stackrel{}{M}_0}\eta \frac{d\stackrel{}{M_0}}{dt}\right\}$$
(67)
where $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ is the gyromagnetic ratio and the magnetic Gibbs potential  is defined by $`V=E+\stackrel{}{M}_0.\stackrel{}{H}^{ext}`$. Equation (67) is the well known Gilbert equation , , and can be put into the following Landau-Lifshitz form. In the case of uniform magnetization we have $`\stackrel{}{M}_0=M_s\stackrel{}{u}_0`$, where $`M_s`$ is the saturation magnetization, Eq (67) rewrites

$$\dot{u_0}=g^{}\left(\stackrel{}{u}_0\times \stackrel{}{}V\right)h^{}\stackrel{}{u}_0\times \left(\stackrel{}{u}_0\times \stackrel{}{}V\right)$$
(68)
where $`\stackrel{}{}`$ is here the gradient operator on the surface of a unite sphere. The phenomenological parameters h’ and g’ are linked to the gyromagnetic ratio $`\mathrm{\Gamma }`$ and the Gilbert damping coefficient $`\eta `$ by the relations

$`\{\begin{array}{ccc}h^{}& =& \frac{\mathrm{\Gamma }\alpha }{(1+\alpha ^2)M_s}\\ g^{}& =& \frac{\mathrm{\Gamma }}{(1+\alpha ^2)M_s}\\ \alpha & =& \eta \mathrm{\Gamma }M_s\end{array}`$ (72)
## V LLG equation with spin polarized current

Let us assume an interface composed by an incident current $`I_p^i`$ of conductivity asymmetry $`\beta `$, polarized in the direction $`\stackrel{}{e}_p`$ which enters in a ferromagnetic layer (F) polarized in the direction $`\stackrel{}{u}_0`$ with conductivity asymmetry $`\beta `$. The transfer of magnetic moments is describes by the term $`\frac{dN_p^F}{dt}=\dot{N}_+^F\dot{N}_{}^F`$. Equation (5) rewrites

$`{\displaystyle \frac{dN_p^F}{dt}}`$ $`=`$ $`I_p^iI_p^F\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}2}\gamma I_p^F=\beta _{eff}I_N`$ (73)
where $`\beta _{eff}=\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}2}\beta (12\gamma (1\gamma ))`$ and the expressions of $`I_p^F`$ and $`I_p^i`$ are derived in the appendix.

The change of the magnetic moment of the layer due to the polarized current is given by equation (6) and (68):

$`\dot{u}g^{}\left(\stackrel{}{u}_0\times \stackrel{}{}V\right)h^{}\stackrel{}{u}_0\times \left(\stackrel{}{u}_0\times \stackrel{}{}V\right)+{\displaystyle \frac{g\mu _B}{M_0}}\beta _{eff}I_N\stackrel{}{e}_p`$ (74)
where the first, second and third term in the right hand side are respectively the precession term (or transverse relaxation), the longitudinal relaxation term, and the spin transfer due to spin polarized conduction electrons.

In order to estimate the effect of the injection of spin polarized current, the equation (74) is applied to the case of monodomain ferromagnet with applied field oriented at the angle $`\theta `$ from a single anisotropy axis (see Fig. 1). If the vector $`\stackrel{}{u}`$ makes an angle $`\phi `$ from the anisotropy axis, the Gibbs energy density can be written in the following form :

$`V(\phi \psi )=KS`$ $`(cos^2\phi \mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}2}h(cos(\theta )cos(\phi )`$ (76)
$`+sin(\theta )sin(\phi )cos(\psi ))`$
where $`h=H^{ext}/H_a`$ is the reduced applied field defined with the anisotropy field $`H_a`$, $`K=H_aM_s`$ is the anisotropy constant, S is the section and $`\psi `$ is the out-of-plane coordinate of the vector $`\stackrel{}{u}`$. Due to the cylindrical geometry, $`\psi =0`$. Before injecting the current, the angle $`\phi _0`$ is given by the equilibrium condition $`\stackrel{}{}V=0`$.

The precessional term can be neglected in (74) (low frequency response and/or high damping limite ), and $`MM_0`$.

Experiments and samples are described in Ref. , , . Ni nanowires are obtained by the method of electrodeposition in track etched membrane templates. A micro-contact is realized, and the magnetoresistance of a single nanowire is measured. The wires are about 70 nm diameter and 6000 nm length and the magnetic energy is dominated by the Zeeman energy term and the shape anisotropy (or magnetostatic term), very close to that of an infinite cylinder. The anisotropy field is calculated to be $`\mu _0H_a0.3`$ T.

The effect of the spin-polarized current was evidenced experimentally by injecting a strong current of about $`2.10^7A/cm^2`$ at a fixed value of the external field $`h=h_{sw}\mathrm{\Delta }h`$ smaller than the field $`h_{sw}`$ where the switching occurs without current. The magnetization switch occurs at the angle $`\phi ^c(\theta )`$. The maximum distance $`\mathrm{\Delta }h`$ where the jump of the magnetization can still be observed corresponds then to the variation of the angle $`\mathrm{\Delta }\phi =\phi ^c\phi _0`$ needed to shift the magnetization up to the unstable state.

For steady states, inserting $`h=h_{sw}\mathrm{\Delta }h`$, $`\phi =\phi _c`$, Eq. (74) leads to

$$\mathrm{\Delta }h=h_{sw}(\theta )\frac{2cI_N(\stackrel{}{e}_p.\stackrel{}{v})sin(2\phi ^c)}{sin(\phi ^c\theta )}$$
(77)
where $`\stackrel{}{v}`$ is the polar vector perpendicular to $`\stackrel{}{u}`$. The parameter c is defined by the relation

$$c=\frac{\beta _{eff}\mathrm{}}{eKv_a\alpha }$$
(78)
where the activation volume $`v_a`$ of magnetization $`M_s`$ was estimated to be $`v_a\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}10}^{22}m^3`$, $`K\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}10}^5J/m^3`$ , and $`\beta _{eff}\beta \mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}0.3}`$ , $`\alpha \mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}0.15}`$ . We obtain $`c\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}200}A^1`$.

All parameters in Eq. (77) are known if the magnetization reversal mode, which describes the irreversible jump, is known. In some few theoretical models of magnetization reversal , the functions $`H_{sw}(\theta )`$ and $`\phi _c(\theta )`$ are analytical. In the framework of the present empirical approach, the experimental data are fitted by the relation deduced from a curling reversal mode in an infinite cylinder ,  :

$$h_{sw}(\theta )=\frac{a(a+1)}{\sqrt{a^2+(2a+1)cos^2(\theta )}}$$
(79)
The single adjustable parameter $`a=k(R_0/r)^2`$ is defined by the geometrical parameter k , by the exchange length $`R_0=\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}20}nm`$ , and by the radius of the wire r. The experimental points $`H_{sw}(\theta )`$ are fitted in Fig. 2.

We obtained $`a=0.15`$ (which corresponds to r of about 60 nm). The relation between the angle of the applied field $`\theta `$ and the angle of the magnetization $`\phi ^c`$ is:

$$tan(\theta )=\frac{a+1}{a}tan(\phi ^c)$$
(80)
The curve $`\mathrm{\Delta }h`$, evaluated from Eq. (77) by numerical resolution with a polarization in the direction of the wire axis $`\stackrel{}{e}_p.\stackrel{}{v}=sin(\phi _0),`$ is plotted in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, together with the experimental data. A strong discrepancy from the linear curve of $`\mathrm{\Delta }h(I_N)`$ at small current pulses can be observed. Above a critical current corresponding to about $`10^7A/cm^2`$ the linear fit gives a parameter $`c=\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}190}`$, which is in accordance with the rough evaluation of Eq. (78). This critical current below which the linear regime failed in Fig. 4 could be interpreted following Ref and Ref as the current needed in order to excite spin waves or other magnetization inhomogeneities . The curve given by Eq. (77) can then be plotted without adjustable parameter (Fig. 4). The divergence at $`90^o`$ is due to the numerical resolution of Eq. (77) (numerator and denominator tend to zero at $`\theta =\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}90}^o`$ angle).

## VI Conclusion

A systematic thermokinetic description of a metallic ferromagnetic layer open to electronic spin polarized reservoirs has been performed. At constant temperature, assuming the two current approximation and neglecting direct action of the magnetic field on charge carriers, five coupled transport equations account for the complexity of the system. The approximation of the explicit uncoupling of the transport processes leads to the known results about GMR and Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equations for magnetization dynamics. Within this approximation and on the basis of the conservation equation of the magnetic moment, the description of both polarized current and magnetization dynamics leads to a generalized Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation. The application of this model to experimental data about current-induced magnetization reversal is performed. The existence of a critical current indicates that the kinetics of magnetization inhomogeneity also plays an important role. However, the comparison with experimental data shows that the derived thermokinetic generalized Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation provides a description of the basic mechanism responsible for the effect of polarized-current-induced-magnetization reversal.

## VII Acknowledgment

This work is directly inspired by the synthesis performed by Professor C. Gruber on thermokinetics, and I thank him for his corrections and comments. I thank Professor J.-Ph. Ansermet for permanent support. Special thanks to Derek Kelly for his participation to the experimental work.

## VIII Appendix

The appendix is structured in three parts. In the first part (A), the equation of for the difference of chemical potentials $`A=\mathrm{\Delta }\mu `$ is derived from equation (55) in the case of steady states. In part (B) the equation is applied to the simplified case of GMR or spin accumulation, where the polarization axis is assumed constant through the interface. The GMR of the interface is deduced. In part (C), the equation is applied in the framework of the experimental study of polarized-current-induced-magnetization-reversal, where an abrupt charge of the polarization axis occurs at the interface.

(A) Assuming that the kinetic coefficients which coupled the dynamics of the magnetization and the electric currents vanish, we obtained the following set of kinetic equations (55):

$`\left[\begin{array}{c}J_N\\ J_p\\ \dot{\mathrm{\Psi }}\end{array}\right]={\displaystyle \frac{\sigma _0}{e}}\left[\begin{array}{ccc}1& \beta & 0\\ \beta & 1& 0\\ 0& 0& \frac{e}{\sigma _0}L_{cc}\end{array}\right]\left[\begin{array}{c}\frac{\mu _0}{z}\\ \frac{A}{z}+\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}2}\stackrel{~}{\gamma }A\\ A\end{array}\right]`$ (90)
In the stationary state $`\frac{}{z}J_N(z)=0`$, and assuming that $`\beta `$, $`\sigma _0`$ and $`\gamma `$ are approximately independent of z the diffusion equation of the chemical affinity is deduced

$$\frac{^2\mu _0}{z^2}=\beta \left(\frac{^2A}{z^2}2\frac{(\stackrel{~}{\gamma }A)}{z}\right)$$
(91)
Inserting in (90) yields

$$\frac{J_p}{z}=\frac{\sigma _0}{e}\left((\beta ^21)\frac{^2A}{z^2}+2\frac{(\stackrel{~}{\gamma }A)}{z}\right)$$
(92)
and by integration,

$$J_p=\frac{\sigma _0}{e}\left((\beta ^21)\frac{A}{z}+2\stackrel{~}{\gamma }A\right)$$
(93)
where we assumed that $`J_p(\mathrm{})=\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}0}`$ .

On the other hand, from the conservation equations we have

$$\frac{d}{dt}(N_+^kN_{}^k)=I_p^{k1k}I_p^{kk+1}\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}2}\dot{\mathrm{\Psi }}^k\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}2}\gamma (k1,k)I_p$$
(94)
At the continuum limit, we obtain the following relation

$$\frac{dn_p}{dt}=\frac{J_p}{z}\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}2}L_{cc}A2\stackrel{~}{\gamma }J_p$$
(95)
where $`n_p`$ is the density of spin polarized conduction electrons.

Equation (95) rewrites

$$\frac{J_p}{z}=\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}2}L_{cc}A2\stackrel{~}{\gamma }J_p\frac{dn_p}{dt}$$
(96)
where $`\frac{dn_p}{dt}`$ is constant for steady states . Furthermore, inside the ferromagnet and far away from the interface, $`J_p`$ is constant, whence

$$\frac{dn_p}{dt}=\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}2}L_{cc}^{\mathrm{}}A_{\mathrm{}}=\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}0}$$
(97)
where we assumed for simplicity that $`L_{cc}^{\mathrm{}}=\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}0}`$. Together with (96), (93) and (92) the differential equation for A(z) is obtained:

$$\frac{^2A}{z^2}=\left(\frac{1}{l_{sf}^2}+\frac{1}{l_{DW}^2}\right)A+k\frac{A}{z},$$
(98)
where the spin diffusion length $`l_{sf}`$ is given by

$$l_{sf}\sqrt{\frac{\sigma _0\left(1\beta ^2\right)}{2eL_{cc}}},$$
(99)
the “Domain Wall” diffusion length $`l_{DW}`$ is given by

$$l_{DW}\sqrt{\frac{\left(1\beta ^2\right)}{4\stackrel{~}{\gamma }^2}},$$
(100)
and the parameter k is given by

$$k\stackrel{~}{\gamma }\frac{2\beta ^2}{\left(1\beta ^2\right)}$$
(101)
(B) APPLICATION TO GMR.

Assuming that the polarization axis is the same for all sub-layers, we have $`l_{DW}=0`$ and the last term in (98) vanishes.

The chemical affinity obeys the diffusion equation:

$$\frac{^2A}{z^2}=\frac{1}{l_{sf}^2}A.$$
(102)
The chemical affinity and the total chemical potential are then

$$A(z)=ae^{\frac{z}{l_{sf}}}+be^{\frac{z}{l_{sf}}}$$
(103)
$$\mu _0(z)=d+cz+\beta A(z)$$
(104)
where $`a`$, $`b`$, $`c`$ and $`d`$ are constants. The electric field E(z) is defined by $`eE(z)\frac{\mu _0}{z}`$ so that $`c=eE(\mathrm{})=eJ_N/\sigma _0`$. Under the condition of continuity of the currents of the two spin channels at the interface (no surface scattering) : $`J_\pm (0^{})=J_\pm (0^+)`$ we have $`a=\frac{el_{sf}\beta }{\sigma _0(1\beta ^2)}J_N`$. The spin polarized current on the left side of a single interface (b=0) is deduced:

$$J_p(z)=\frac{\sigma _0}{e}\left(\frac{A}{z}\beta \frac{\mu _0}{z}\right)=J_N\beta \left(e^{\frac{|z|}{l_{sf}}}1\right)$$
(105)
The electric field $`\frac{\mu _0}{ez}E(z)`$ is:

$$E(z)=\frac{eJ_N}{\sigma _0}\left(1+\frac{\beta ^2}{1\beta ^2}e^{\frac{|z|}{l_{sf}}}\right)$$
(106)
and the supplementary potential due to the spin-polarized current is

$$\mathrm{\Delta }V=_{\mathrm{}}^+\mathrm{}\left(E(z)\frac{eJ_N}{\sigma _0}\right)𝑑z=\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}2}\frac{\beta ^2}{1\beta ^2}l_{sf}\frac{eJ_N}{\sigma _0}$$
(107)
from which the GMR resistance (60) is deduced.

(C) APPLICATION TO SPIN TRANSFER

In the case of an interface composed by an incident current of conductivity asymmetry $`\beta `$, polarized in the direction $`\stackrel{}{e}_p`$, entering in a ferromagnetic layer polarized in the direction $`\stackrel{}{u}`$ with conductivity asymmetry $`\beta `$, the Equation (103) and (104) still hold in the left and right hand sides of the interface. However, the change of the polarization axis at the interface leads to modify the continuity equation of the current of the two spin channels $`J_\pm (0^{})=J_\pm (0^+)\gamma J_p`$. The integration constant now reads

$$a=\frac{el_{sf}\beta (1\gamma )}{\sigma _0(1\beta ^2)}J_N$$
(108)
and the expression of the polarized current is

$$J_p(z)=J_N\beta (1\gamma )\left(e^{\frac{|z|}{l_{sf}}}1\right)$$
(109)