  Recent studies on magnetization dynamics induced by spin-orbit torque have
revealed a weak dependence of the critical current for magnetization switching
on the damping constant of a ferromagnetic free layer. This study, however,
reveals that the damping constant nevertheless plays a key role in
magnetization switching induced by spin-orbit torque. An undesirable switching,
returning to an initial state, named as back switching, occurs in a ferromagnet
with an easy axis parallel to the current direction. Numerical and theoretical
analyses reveal that back switching is strongly suppressed when the damping
constant of the ferromagnet is large.
