Theory of Solid State Physics group (Prof. Maekawa's group) has found, in collaboration with RIEC and JST, the drive mechanisms of magnetic domain wall motion induced by electrical currents and magnetic fields are fundamentally different, using the ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga,Mn)As within the thermally activated subthreshold, or ``creep," regime. This finding conduces a new development of magnetism and accelerates the realization of nonvolatile magnetic random access memory (MRAM) using domain walls. This result was published in Science on September 21st (US eastern time), and also introduced in Nikkei Sangyo, Kikkan Kogyo, and Kagaku Kogyo on September 21st and in Kahoku Shimpo on October 1st.
Figure: An interface between magnetic domains is called a magnetic domain wall,
in which the magnetization direction (indicated by arrows) gradually changes from one end to another.