Current-induced magnetic instability in SrRu O3

Current pulses injected into a fully magnetized region of the itinerant ferromagnet SrRu O3 destabilize the uniform state and induce the formation of a domain structure when the current density exceeds a certain threshold. We study the temperature and field dependence of the destabilizing current (Ids) and compare the results with the temperature and field dependence exhibited by the current required for depinning domain walls in the same region (Idp). We find a qualitative difference between Ids and Idp and suggest that Ids may be related to current-induced nucleation.