Amin, V.
, Zemen, J.
and Stiles, M.
(2018),
Interface-generated spin currents, Physical Review Letters, [online], https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.136805
(Accessed May 2, 2025)
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Interface-generated spin currents
Published
Author(s)
, Jan Zemen,
Abstract
Transport calculations based on ab-initio band structures reveal large interface-generated spin currents at Co/Pt, Co/Cu, and Pt/Cu interfaces. These spin currents are driven by in-plane electric fields but flow out-of-plane, and can have similar strengths to spin currents generated by the spin Hall effect in bulk Pt. Each interface generates spin currents with polarization along $\zhat \times \threevec{E}$, where $\zhat$ is the interface normal and $\threevec{E}$ denotes the electric field. The Co/Cu and Co/Pt interfaces additionally generate spin currents with polarization along $\mhat \times (\zhat \times \threevec{E})$, where $\mhat$ gives the magnetization direction of Co. The latter spin polarization is controlled by---but not aligned with---the magnetization, providing a novel mechanism for generating spin torques in magnetic trilayers.Citation
Physical Review Letters
Volume
121
Issue
13
Pub Type
Journals
Download Paper
Keywords
Spintronics, Spin current, Spin-orbit torque, Magnetic memories
Citation
Issues
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Created September 26, 2018, Updated November 10, 2018