Considering the spin of a local magnetic atom as a quantum mechanical operator, we illustrate the dynamics of a local spin interacting with a ballistic electron represented by a wave packet. This approach improves the semi-classical approximation and provides a complete quantum mechanical understanding for spin transfer phenomena. Sending spin-polarized electrons towards a local magnetic atom one after another, we estimate the minimum number of electrons needed to flip a local spin.
Cite
@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0410775,
title = {How many electrons are needed to flip a local spin?},
author = {Wonkee Kim and R. K. Teshima and F. Marsiglio},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0410775},
year = {2009}
}