Current-Induced Magnetization Switching in Permalloy-based Nanopillars with Cu, Ag, and Au

We compare magnetoresistances (MR) and switching currents (I_s) at room temperature (295K) and 4.2K for Permalloy/N/Permalloy nanopillars undergoing current-induced magnetization switching (CIMS), with non-magnetic metals N = Cu, Ag, and Au. The N-metal thickness is held fixed at 10 nm. Any systematic differences in MR and I_s for the different N-metals are modest, suggesting that Ag and Au represent potentially viable alternatives for CIMS studies and devices to the more widely used Cu.