Detection of current-induced spin accumulation via ferromagnetic contacts is discussed. Onsager's relations forbid that in a two-probe configuration spins excited by currents in time-reversal symmetric systems can be detected by switching the magnetization of a ferromangetic detector contact. Nevertheless, current-induced spins can be transferred as a torque to a contact magnetization and affect the charge currents in many-terminal configurations. We demonstrate the general concepts by solving the microscopic transport equations for the diffuse Rashba system with magnetic contacts.
Cite
@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0606193,
title = {Detection of current-induced spins by ferromagnetic contacts},
author = {Inanc Adagideli and Gerrit E. W. Bauer and Bertrand I. Halperin},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0606193},
year = {2007}
}
Comments
Accpeted for publication in Physical Review Letters, 5 pages, 3 color figures, RevTeX