Generation, manipulation, and detection of a pure spin current, i.e., the flow of spin angular momentum without a charge current, are prospective approaches for realizing next-generation spintronic devices with ultra low electric power consumptions. Conventional ferromagnetic electrodes such as Co and NiFe have so far been utilized as a spin injector for generating the pure spin currents in nonmagnetic channels. However, the generation efficiency of the pure spin currents is extremely low at room temperature, giving rise to a serious obstacle for device applications. Here, we demonstrate the generation of giant pure spin currents at room temperature in lateral spin valve devices with a highly ordered Heusler-compound Co2FeSi spin injector. The generation efficiency of the pure spin currents for the Co2FeSi spin injectors reaches approximately one hundred times as large as that for NiFe ones, indicating that Heusler-compound spin injectors enable us to materialize a high-performance lateral spin device. The present study is a technological jump in spintronics and indicates the great potential of ferromagnetic Heusler compounds with half metallicity for generating pure spin currents.
@article{arxiv.1108.0156,
title = {Room-temperature generation of giant pure spin currents using Co$_2$FeSi spin injectors},
author = {T. Kimura and N. Hashimoto and S. Yamada and M. Miyao and K. Hamaya},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1108.0156},
year = {2011}
}