Study unveils dependence of spin memory loss in a variety of interfaces

Phys.org  March 24, 2020 The discontinuity of a spin-current through an interface caused by spin-orbit coupling is characterized by the spin memory loss (SML). An international team of researchers (the Netherlands, Germany, UK, China) used first-principles scattering theory and a recently developed local current scheme to study the SML for Au/Pt, Au/Pd, Py/Pt and Co/Pt interfaces. They found a minimal temperature dependence for nonmagnetic interfaces and a strong dependence for interfaces involving ferromagnets that they attributed to the spin disorder. The SML is larger for Co/Pt than Py/Pt because the interface is more abrupt. Lattice mismatch and interface alloying strongly […]

Mechanical vibration generated by electron spins

EurekAlert  July 2, 2019 Researchers in Japan fabricated a micro cantilever structure made of magnetic insulator yttrium iron garnet (YIG: Y3Fe5O12). A metallic thin wire was put on the root of the cantilever as a heater. When electrical current flows in the wire, the wire works as a generator of spin current by spin Seebeck effect and the spin current propagates into the micro cantilever. By measuring the vibration of the cantilever while injecting the spin current modulated near the resonant frequency of the micro cantilever, they confirmed that only the spin current injection of appropriate spin orientation can excite […]