Spin transport at finite temperatures: A first-principles study for <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mtext>ferromagnetic</mml:mtext><mml:mo>|</mml:mo><mml:mtext>nonmagnetic</mml:mtext></mml:math> interfaces
Kriti Gupta, Rien J. H. Wesselink, Zhe Yuan, Paul J. Kelly
Abstract
When a current is passed from Pt through a ferromagnetic metal like Co (or permalloy) into another layer of Pt, then the charge current first acquires then loses spin polarization on a length scale determined by spin-orbit coupling and disorder, alloy disorder, temperature-induced lattice or spin disorder, or the disorder represented by the interfaces. The authors demonstrate by determining the spin current ${j}_{s}$(z) from first-principles quantum-mechanical scattering calculations that it is possible to extract the five bulk and three interface parameters used to describe spin transport in such systems as a function of temperature.
Topics & Concepts
FerromagnetismCondensed matter physicsStatistical physicsPhysicsMagnetic properties of thin filmsQuantum and electron transport phenomenaPhysics of Superconductivity and Magnetism