Finite Element Modeling of Charge and Spin-currents in Magnetoresistive Pillars with Current Crowding Effects

The charge and spin diffusion equations taking into account spin-flip and spin-transfer torque were numerically solved using a finite element method in complex non-collinear geometry. This approach was used to study the spin-dependent transport in giant magnetoresistance metallic pillars sandwiched between extended electrodes as in magnetoresistive heads for hard disk drives. The charge current crowding around the boundaries between the electrodes and the pillar has a quite significant influence on the spin current.