The ability to convert spin accumulation to charge currents is essential for applications in spintronics. In semiconductors, spin-to-charge conversion is typically achieved using the inverse spin Hall effect or using a large magnetic field. Here we demonstrate a general method that exploits the non-linear interactions between spin and charge currents to perform all-electrical, rapid and non-invasive detection of spin accumulation without the need for a magnetic field. We demonstrate the operation of this technique with ballistic GaAs holes as a model system with strong spin-orbit coupling, in which a quantum point contact provides the non-linear energy filter. This approach is generally applicable to electron and hole systems with strong spin orbit coupling.
@article{arxiv.1907.01312,
title = {Non-linear spin filter for non-magnetic materials at zero magnetic field},
author = {E. Marcellina and A. Srinivasan and F. Nichele and P. Stano and D. A. Ritchie and I. Farrer and Dimitrie Culcer and A. R. Hamilton},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1907.01312},
year = {2020}
}