Efficient Electrical Spin Splitter Based on Nonrelativistic Collinear Antiferromagnetism

Gonz�lez-Hern�ndez, Rafael; �mejkal, Libor; V�born�, Karel; Yahagi, Yuta; Sinova, Jairo; Jungwirth, Tomáš; �elezn�, Jakub

Abstract

Spin-current generation by electrical means is among the core phenomena driving the field of spintronics. Using ab initio calculations we show that a room-temperature metallic collinear antiferromagnet RuO2 allows for highly efficient spin-current generation, arising from anisotropically spin-split bands with conserved up and down spins along the Neél vector axis. The zero net moment antiferromagnet acts as an electrical spin splitter with a 34° propagation angle between spin-up and spin-down currents. The corresponding spin conductivity is a factor of 3 larger than the record value from a survey of 20 000 nonmagnetic spin-Hall materials. We propose a versatile spin-splitter-torque concept circumventing limitations of spin-transfer and spin-orbit torques in present magnetic memory devices.

Citation

González-Hernández, R., Šmejkal, L., Výborný, K., Yahagi, Y., Sinova, J., Jungwirth, T., & Železný, J. (2021). Efficient Electrical Spin Splitter Based on Nonrelativistic Collinear Antiferromagnetism. Physical Review Letters, 126(12), Article 127701. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.126.127701

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 23, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Mar 26, 2021
• Publication Date: Mar 26, 2021
• Deposit Date: Jul 6, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 6, 2021
• Journal: Physical Review Letters
• Print ISSN: 0031-9007
• Electronic ISSN: 1079-7114
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 126
• Issue: 12
• Article Number: 127701
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.126.127701
• Keywords: General Physics and Astronomy
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/5421724
• Publisher URL: https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.127701