Multi-Terminal Spin Valve on Channels with Spin-Momentum Locking.

ABSTRACT: It is experimentally established that charge current flowing in a channel with spin-momentum locking such as topological insulator surface states or Rashba interfaces induces a spin voltage, which can be electrically measured with a ferromagnetic contact along the current path. Using this fact in conjunction with Onsager reciprocity arguments, we make the surprising prediction that the anti-parallel resistance of a spin valve can be either larger or smaller than the parallel resistance depending on the direction of spin flow relative to the direction of spin-momentum locking. However, we argue that this remarkable signature of spin-momentum locking can only be observed in multi-terminal measurements. Two-terminal measurements in the linear response regime, will show a single anti-parallel

SUBMITTER: Sayed S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5073362 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature