Switchable Spin-Current Source Controlled by Magnetic Domain Walls

• Published in: Nano letters Vol. 14; no. 7; pp. 4016 - 4022
• Main Authors: Savero Torres, W, Laczkowski, P, Nguyen, V. D, Rojas Sanchez, J. C, Vila, L, Marty, A, Jamet, M, Attané, J. P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 09.07.2014
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Condensed Matter; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Devices; Domain walls; Electric current; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; General equipment and techniques; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Low-dimensional structures (superlattices, quantum well structures, multilayers): structure, and nonelectronic properties; Magnetic domains; Magnetoelectric, magnetostrictive, magnetoacoustic, magnetooptic and magnetothermal devices. Spintronics; Materials Science; Nanostructure; Physics; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Sensors (chemical, optical, electrical, movement, gas, etc.); remote sensing; Spintronics; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Walls; Wire; spin current; magnetic logic; magnetic domain wall; Spintronics; Nanostructures; Spin injection; Magnetic domains; Domain walls; Detectors
• ISSN: 1530-6984; 1530-6992
• DOI: 10.1021/nl501453p

Using nonlocal spin injection, spin–orbit coupling, or spincaloritronic effects, the manipulation of pure spin currents in nanostructures underlies the development of new spintronic devices. Here, we demonstrate the possibility to create switchable pure spin current sources, controlled by magnetic domain walls. When the domain wall is located at a given point of the magnetic circuit, a pure spin current is injected into a nonmagnetic wire. Using the reciprocal measurement configuration, we demonstrate that the proposed device can also be used as a pure spin current detector. Thanks to its simple geometry, this device can be easily implemented in spintronics applications; in particular, a single current source can be used both to induce the domain wall motion and to generate the spin signal.