Spin transport in metals with different approaches

Orateur : Fèlix CASANOVOA (CIC nanoGUNE, San Sebastian, Espagne)

Spintronics is a rapidly growing research area that aims at using and manipulating the spin of the electron. There is special interest in the creation and transport of pure spin currents as an alternative to conventional electronics. One of the most robust ways to study electrical spin injection and transport is by using lateral spin valves (LSV). We have optimized a nanofabrication process that yields highly reproducible LSV devices, crucial for reliable studies. As an example, we can quantify the contributions to the spin relaxation in copper nanowires by carefully analyzing charge and spin transport measurements as a function of temperature and thickness. Alternatively, one can use a three-terminal (3T) geometry, in which spin accumulation is induced and probed via Hanle effect by a single magnetic tunnel contact. Since the 3T geometry does not require submicron-sized fabrication processes, this type of devices have become very popular, specially to study spin injection in semiconductors. However, many results associated to this method are still controversial. We have tested the validity of this approach by using metals such as aluminum and gold and concluded that the observed results are not compatible with spin accumulation in the metal.

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