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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Pure spin current phenomena

Spintronic phenomena and devices have evolved from exploiting spin-polarized current to pure spin current. A pure spin current can more efficiently deliver spin angular momentum with fewer or no charge carriers, enabling spin–orbit torque switching in ferromagnets. The prospects of antiferromagnetic spintronics, especially electrical switching, remain perplexing and controversial. Here, we describe some recent advances, outstanding issues, challenges, and prospects of pure spin current.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Exploiting Spin Fluctuations for Enhanced Pure Spin Current

We demonstrate the interplay of pure spin current, spin-polarized current, and spin fluctuation in 3d Ni x Cu 1–x . By tuning the compositions of the Ni x Cu 1–x alloys, we separate the effects due to the pure spin current and spin-polarized current. By exploiting the interaction of spin current with spin fluctuation in suitable Ni-Cu alloys, we obtain an unprecedentedly high spin Hall angle of 46%, about 5 times larger than that in Pt, at room temperature. Furthermore, we show that spin-dependent thermal transport via anomalous Nernst effect can serve as a sensitive magnetometer to electrically probe the magnetic phase transitions in thin films with in-plane anisotropy. As a result, the enhancement of spin Hall angle by exploiting spin current fluctuation via composition control makes 3d magnets functional materials in charge-to-spin conversion for spintronic application.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Pure spin current injection of single-layer monochalcogenides

We compute the spectrum of pure spin current injection in ferroelectric single-layer SnS, SnSe, GeS, and GeSe. The formalism takes into account the coherent spin dynamics of optically excited conduction states split in energy by spin–orbit coupling. The velocity of the electron's spins is calculated as a function of incoming photon energy and angle of linearly polarized light within a full electronic band structure scheme using density functional theory. We find peak speeds of 520, 360, 270 and 370 Km s -1 for SnS, SnSe, GeS and GeSe, respectively which are an order of magnitude larger than those found in bulk semiconductors, e.g., GaAs and CdSe. Interestingly, the spin velocity is almost independent of the direction of polarization of light in a range of photon energies. Our results demonstrate that single-layer SnS, SnSe, GeS and GeSe are candidates to produce on demand spin-current in spintronics applications.

2D-monochalcogenides↗
DOE OSTI2021

Electric field control of magnon spin currents in an antiferromagnetic insulator

Pure spin currents can be generated via thermal excitations of magnons. These magnon spin currents serve as carriers of information in insulating materials, and controlling them using electrical means may enable energy efficient information processing. Here, we demonstrate electric field control of magnon spin currents in the antiferromagnetic insulator Cr 2 O 3 . We show that the thermally driven magnon spin currents reveal a spin-flop transition in thin-film Cr 2 O 3 . Crucially, this spin-flop can be turned on or off by applying an electric field across the thickness of the film. Using this tunability, we demonstrate electric field–induced switching of the polarization of magnon spin currents by varying only a gate voltage while at a fixed magnetic field. We propose a model considering an electric field–dependent spin-flop transition, arising from a change in sublattice magnetizations via a magnetoelectric coupling. These results provide a different approach toward controlling magnon spin current in antiferromagnets.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Interplay between Chiro-Optical and Spin Transport Properties in Chiral CdSe Quantum Dots

The chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect offers compelling approaches for manipulating spin-dependent processes in both chemistry and physics, yet the physical mechanism(s) underpinning CISS are still debated. Here we present a study of structure-property relationships in chiral quantum dot assemblies to identify attributes of CISS-based phenomena. Our results show that the circular dichroism (CD) strength of chiral CdSe quantum dots’ primary exciton transition correlates with two CISS properties, the propensity to transmit pure spin currents and to produce spin-polarized charge currents. While the spin-polarized charge current reverses its sign with a change in the polarity of the CD signal, the pure spin current transport does not. The trends in both transport types can be rationalized in terms of chirality-induced splitting of spin sub-bands, which are modulated by chiral symmetry breaking under charge transport through the CdSe quantum dots.

cadmium selenide↗
DOE OSTI2026

A personal spin on spin currents

This article contains my personal account on how I got interested in spin transport phenomena, which ultimately resulted in investigating multiple facets of spin–orbit torques, as well as magnetization dynamics. Originally this research focused on questions that seemed rather academic with little relevance to applications. But over time it developed into one of the key research areas for modern spintronic devices. This journey started off with investigating spin polarized charge currents, later focused on pure spin currents, and ultimately explored spin waves (magnons) as the potential carriers of spin information. Most of this work was performed in the Magnetic Films group of the Argonne National Laboratory, which for more than three decades used to be one of the world-leading places for magnetism research.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Gauge-free duality in pure square spin ice: Topological currents and monopoles

We consider pure square spin ice, that is, square ice, where only nearest neighbors are coupled. The gauge-free duality between the perpendicular and collinear structure leads to a natural description in terms of topological currents and charges as the relevant degrees of freedom. That, in turn, can be expressed via a continuous field theory where the discrete spins are subsumed into entropic interactions among charges and currents. This approach produces structure factors, correlations, and susceptibilities for spins, monopoles, and currents. It also generalizes the height formalism of the disordered ground state to non-zero temperature. The framework can be applied to the zoology of recent experimental results, especially realizations on quantum annealers, and can be expanded to include longer range interactions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Observing differential spin currents by resonant inelastic X-ray scattering

Controlling spin currents, that is, the flow of spin angular momentum, in small magnetic devices, is the principal objective of spin electronics, a main contender for future energy-efficient information technologies. A pure spin current has never been measured directly because the associated electric stray fields and/or shifts in the non-equilibrium spin-dependent distribution functions are too small for conventional experimental detection methods optimized for charge transport. Here we report that resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) can bridge this gap by measuring the spin current carried by magnons—the quanta of the spin wave excitations of the magnetic order—in the presence of temperature gradients across a magnetic insulator. This is possible due to the sensitivity of the momentum- and energy-resolved RIXS intensity to minute changes in the magnon distribution under non-equilibrium conditions. Furthermore, we use the Boltzmann equation in the relaxation time approximation to extract transport parameters, such as the magnon lifetime at finite momentum, essential for the realization of magnon spintronics.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Colossal anisotropic absorption of spin currents induced by chirality

The chiral induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect, in which the structural chirality of a material determines the preference for the transmission of electrons with one spin orientation over that of the other, is emerging as a design principle for creating next-generation spintronic devices. CISS implies that the spin preference of chiral structures persists upon injection of pure spin currents and can act as a spin analyzer without the need for a ferromagnet. Here, we report an anomalous spin current absorption in chiral metal oxides that manifests a colossal anisotropic nonlocal Gilbert damping with a maximum-to-minimum ratio of up to 1000%. A twofold symmetry of the damping is shown to result from differential spin transmission and backscattering that arise from chirality-induced spin splitting along the chiral axis. These studies reveal the rich interplay of chirality and spin dynamics and identify how chiral materials can be implemented to direct the transport of spin current.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2026

Floquet Spin Splitting and Spin Generation in Antiferromagnets

In antiferromagnetic spintronics, accessing the spin degrees of freedom is essential for generating spin currents and manipulating magnetic order, which generally requires lifting spin degeneracy. This is typically achieved through relativistic spin-orbit coupling or nonrelativistic spin splitting in altermagnets. Here, we propose an alternative approach: a dynamical spin splitting induced by an optical field in antiferromagnets. By coupling the driven system to a thermal bath, we demonstrate the emergence of steady-state pure spin currents as well as linear-response longitudinal and transverse spin currents. Crucially, thermal bath engineering enables a nonrelativistic Edelstein effect—the generation of a net spin accumulation—without relying on spin-orbit coupling. Furthermore, our results provide a broadly applicable and experimentally tunable route to control spins in antiferromagnets, offering new opportunities for spin generation and manipulation in antiferromagnetic spintronics.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2024

Electrical control of magnetism by electric field and current-induced torques

The remanent magnetization of ferromagnets has long been studied and used to store binary information. While early magnetic memory designs relied on magnetization switching by locally generated magnetic fields, key insights in condensed matter physics later suggested the possibility of doing it by electrical means instead. In the 1990s, Slonczewski and Berger formulated the concept of current-induced spin torques in magnetic multilayers through which a spin-polarized current generated by a first ferromagnet may be used to switch the magnetization of a second one. This discovery drove the development of spin-transfer-torque magnetic random-access memories (MRAMs). More recent fundamental research revealed other types of current-induced torques named spin-orbit torques (SOTs) and will lead to a new generation of devices including SOT MRAMs and skyrmion-based devices. Parallel to these advances, multiferroics and their magnetoelectric coupling, first investigated experimentally in the 1960s, experienced a renaissance. Dozens of multiferroic compounds with new magnetoelectric coupling mechanisms were discovered and high-quality multiferroic films were synthesized (notably of BiFeO 3 ), also leading to novel device concepts for information and communication technology such as the magnetoelectric spin-orbit (MESO) transistor. The story of the electrical switching of magnetization, which is discussed in this review, is that of a dance between fundamental research (in spintronics, condensed matter physics, and materials science) and technology (MRAMs, MESO transistors, microwave emitters, spin diodes, skyrmion-based devices, components for neuromorphics, etc.). This pas de deux has led to major scientific and technological breakthroughs in recent decades (such as the conceptualization of pure spin currents, the observation of magnetic skyrmions, and the discovery of spin-charge interconversion effects). As a result, this field has not only propelled MRAMs into consumer electronics products but also fueled discoveries in adjacent research areas such as ferroelectrics or magnonics. Here, in this review, recent advances in the control of magnetism by electric fields and by current-induced torques are covered. Fundamental concepts in these two directions are reviewed first, their combination is then discussed, and finally current various families of devices harnessing the electrical control of magnetic properties for various application fields are addressed. The review concludes by giving perspectives in terms of both emerging fundamental physics concepts and new directions in materials science.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Magnetic anisotropy and spin scattering in (La 2/3 Sr 1/3 )MnO 3 /CaRuO 3 bilayers

Complex ferromagnetic oxides have been identified as possible candidate materials for sources of spin currents. Here we study bilayers of ferromagnetic (La 2/3 Sr 1/3 )MnO 3 (LSMO) and metallic CaRuO 3 (CRO) on LSAT substrates as a model system for spin pumping. Ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) measurements of these bilayers show evidence of spin pumping across the interface in the form of an increase in Gilbert damping with the addition of CRO. FMR indicates that the presence of CRO modifies the magnetic anisotropy of the LSMO. By increasing CRO thickness, we find a reduction of the out-of-plane anisotropy and simultaneous rotation of the easy axis within the plane, from the $\langle$110$\rangle$ to $\langle$100$\rangle$ axis. The evolution of magnetic anisotropy determined by FMR disagrees with that measured by bulk SQUID magnetometry and is accompanied by structural distortions in the LSMO layer as measured by x-ray diffraction, thus suggesting a change in magnetic anisotropy attributed to structural distortions imposed on LSMO by CRO. These results suggest that while LSMO and CRO remain promising candidates for efficient pure spin current generation and detection, respectively, epitaxial integration of perovskites will cause additional changes which must be accounted for in spintronics applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Observation of the Fluctuation Spin Hall Effect in a Low-Resistivity Antiferromagnet

The spin Hall effect (SHE) can generate a pure spin current by an electric current, which is promisingly used to electrically control magnetization. To reduce the power consumption of this control, a giant spin Hall angle (SHA) in the SHE is desired in low-resistivity systems for practical applications. Here, critical spin fluctuation near the antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase transition in chromium (Cr) is proven to be an effective mechanism for creating an additional part of the SHE, named the fluctuation spin Hall effect. Further, the SHA is significantly enhanced when the temperature approaches the Néel temperature (T N ) of Cr and has a peak value of -0.36 near T N . This value is higher than the room-temperature value by 153% and leads to a low normalized power consumption among known spin–orbit torque materials. This study demonstrates the critical spin fluctuation as a prospective way to increase the SHA and enriches the AFM material candidates for spin–orbitronic devices.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2025

Using chiral-induced spin selectivity as a tool to improve materials and processes for energy science

Studies relating to electrical energy conversion, storage, and generation, date back to the 19th century, however only in recent years have scientists begun to investigate the impact of the electron spin on these processes. Control and manipulation of the electron spin, an intrinsically quantum property of matter, opens new approaches to addressing energy science challenges. Furthermore, the chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect is enabling for this effort, because of the control over the transport and generation of both pure spin currents and spin-polarized charge currents. In this review article, we begin with a brief introduction on design strategies for the implementation of CISS in materials and then describe recent studies that demonstrate how CISS can be used to improve electrocatalysis and spintronics. Lastly, we conclude with forward-looking thoughts on the next steps for leveraging CISS in energy science.

Batteries↗
DOE OSTI2022

Observation of Vector Spin Seebeck Effect in a Noncollinear Antiferromagnet

Spintronic phenomena to date have been established in magnets with collinear moments, where the spin injection through the spin Seebeck effect (SSE) is always along the out-of-plane direction. Here, we report the observation of a vector SSE in a noncollinear antiferromagnet (AF) LuFeO 3 , where temperature gradient along the out-of-plane and also the in-plane directions can both inject a pure spin current and generate a voltage in the heavy metal via the inverse spin Hall effect (ISHE). We show that the thermovoltages are due to the magnetization from canted spins in LuFeO 3 . Furthermore, in contrast to the challenges of generating, manipulating, and detecting spin current in collinear AFs, the vector SSE in LuFeO 3 is readily viable in zero magnetic field and can be controlled by a small magnetic field of about 150 Oe at room temperature. Furthermore, the noncollinear AFs expand new realms for exploring spin phenomena and provide a new route to low-field antiferromagnetic spin caloritronics and magnonics.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Light-induced ultrafast spin transport in multilayer metallic films originates from sp-d spin exchange coupling

Ultrafast interaction between the femtosecond laser pulse and the magnetic metal provides an efficient way to manipulate the magnetic states of matter. Numerous experimental advancements have been made on multilayer metallic films in the last two decades. However, the underlying physics remains unclear. Here, relying on an efficient ab initio spin dynamics simulation algorithm, we revealed the physics that can unify the progress in different experiments. We found that light-induced ultrafast spin transport in multilayer metallic films originates from the sp - d spin-exchange interaction, which can induce an ultrafast, large, and pure spin current from ferromagnetic metal to nonmagnetic metal without charge carrier transport. The resulting trends of spin demagnetization and spin flow are consistent with most experiments. It can explain a variety of ultrafast light-spin manipulation experiments with different systems and different pump-probe technologies, covering a wide range of work in this field.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

The Cosmological Bootstrap: Spinning correlators from symmetries and factorization

We extend the cosmological bootstrap to correlators involving massless spinning particles, focusing on spin-1 and spin-2. In de Sitter space, these correlators are constrained both by symmetries and by locality. In particular, the de Sitter isometries become conformal symmetries on the future boundary of the spacetime, which are reflected in a set of Ward identities that the boundary correlators must satisfy. We solve these Ward identities by acting with weight-shifting operators on scalar seed solutions. Using this weight-shifting approach, we derive three- and four-point correlators of massless spin-1 and spin-2 fields with conformally coupled scalars. Four-point functions arising from tree-level exchange are singular in particular kinematic configurations, and the coefficients of these singularities satisfy certain factorization properties. We show that in many cases these factorization limits fix the structure of the correlators uniquely, without having to solve the conformal Ward identities. The additional constraint of locality for massless spinning particles manifests itself as current conservation on the boundary. We find that the four-point functions only satisfy current conservation if the s, t, and u-channels are related to each other, leading to nontrivial constraints on the couplings between the conserved currents and other operators in the theory. For spin-1 currents this implies charge conservation, while for spin-2 currents we recover the equivalence principle from a purely boundary perspective. For multiple spin-1 fields, we recover the structure of Yang--Mills theory. Finally, we apply our methods to slow-roll inflation and derive a few phenomenologically relevant scalar-tensor three-point functions.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS2007

Resonant Tunneling Spin Pump

The resonant tunneling spin pump is a proposed semiconductor device that would generate spin-polarized electron currents. The resonant tunneling spin pump would be a purely electrical device in the sense that it would not contain any magnetic material and would not rely on an applied magnetic field. Also, unlike prior sources of spin-polarized electron currents, the proposed device would not depend on a source of circularly polarized light. The proposed semiconductor electron-spin filters would exploit the Rashba effect, which can induce energy splitting in what would otherwise be degenerate quantum states, caused by a spin-orbit interaction in conjunction with a structural-inversion asymmetry in the presence of interfacial electric fields in a semiconductor heterostructure. The magnitude of the energy split is proportional to the electron wave number. Theoretical studies have suggested the possibility of devices in which electron energy states would be split by the Rashba effect and spin-polarized currents would be extracted by resonant quantum-mechanical tunneling.

Ting, David Z.↗