EurekAlert October 29, 2019
The spin Seebek effect (SSE) is one of three known ways to generate spin current. The SSE occurs when a thermal gradient is created across a material and, depending on how it is measured, results in an electrical potential. As the spin Seebeck effect is based on creating a temperature difference, a team of researchers in the US (University of Wyoming, Colorado State University) is exploiting this property to produce a device that detects light through pure spin currents which are the magnetic analog of electrical currents. Oriented spin is the magnetic component of fundamental particles, such as electrons and protons. However, unlike electrical current spin currents have little to no interaction with the environment. Therefore, the team expects that spin currents could be an excellent way to transmit energy and information without significant loss. This proof-of-concept sets the stage for trying different device geometries and materials to increase the overall device sensitivity…read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLEÂ