Spin-flip diffusion length in 5d transition metal elements: a first-principles benchmark

Little is known about the spin-flip diffusion length \(l_{\rm sf}\), one of the most important material parameters in the field of spintronics. We use a density-functional-theory based scattering approach to determine values of \(l_{\rm sf}\) that result from electron-phonon scattering as a function...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inarXiv.org
Main Authors Nair, Rohit S, Barati, Ehsan, Gupta, Kriti, Yuan, Zhe, Kelly, Paul J
Format Paper Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Ithaca Cornell University Library, arXiv.org 19.04.2021
Subjects
Atomic properties
Diffusion length
First principles
Hall effect
Local current
Physics - Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Scattering
Spintronics
Transition metals
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Summary:Little is known about the spin-flip diffusion length \(l_{\rm sf}\), one of the most important material parameters in the field of spintronics. We use a density-functional-theory based scattering approach to determine values of \(l_{\rm sf}\) that result from electron-phonon scattering as a function of temperature for all 5d transition metal elements. \(l_{\rm sf}\) does not decrease monotonically with the atomic number Z but is found to be inversely proportional to the density of states at the Fermi level. By using the same local current methodology to calculate the spin Hall angle \(\Theta_{\rm sH}\) that characterizes the efficiency of the spin Hall effect, we show that the products \(\rho(T)l_{\rm sf}(T)\) and \(\Theta_{\rm sH}(T)l_{\rm sf}(T)\) are constant.
ISSN:2331-8422
DOI:10.48550/arxiv.2104.09594