English

Intraband and interband spin-orbit torques in non-centrosymmetric ferromagnets

Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics 2015-06-23 v1

Abstract

Intraband and interband contributions to the current-driven spin-orbit torque in magnetic materials lacking inversion symmetry are theoretically studied using Kubo formula. In addition to the current-driven field-like torque TFL=τFLm×uso{\bf T}_{\rm FL}= \tau_{\rm FL}{\bf m}\times{\bf u}_{\rm so} (uso{\bf u}_{\rm so} being a unit vector determined by the symmetry of the spin-orbit coupling), we explore the intrinsic contribution arising from impurity-independent interband transitions and producing an anti-damping-like torque of the form TDL=τDLm×(uso×m){\bf T}_{\rm DL}= \tau_{\rm DL}{\bf m}\times({\bf u}_{\rm so}\times{\bf m}). Analytical expressions are obtained in the model case of a magnetic Rashba two-dimensional electron gas, while numerical calculations have been performed on a dilute magnetic semiconductor (Ga,Mn)As modeled by the Kohn-Luttinger Hamiltonian exchanged coupled to the Mn moments. Parametric dependences of the different torque components and similarities to the analytical results of the Rashba two-dimensional electron gas in the weak disorder limit are described.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1501.03292,
  title  = {Intraband and interband spin-orbit torques in non-centrosymmetric ferromagnets},
  author = {Hang Li and H. Gao and Liviu P. Zârbo and K. Výborný and Xuhui Wang and Ion Garate and Fatih Doǧan and A. Čejchan and Jairo Sinova and T. Jungwirth and Aurélien Manchon},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1501.03292},
  year   = {2015}
}

Comments

10 pages, 5 figures