Regensburg 2007 – scientific programme

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SYSS: Symposium Spins in Semiconductors

SYSS 1: Spins in Semiconductors

SYSS 1.9: Invited Talk

Monday, March 26, 2007, 12:20–12:40, H1

Electric field controlled spintronic effects based on spin-orbit coupling — •Tomas Jungwirth — Institute of Physics ASCR, Cukrovarnicka 10, 162 53 Praha 6, Czech Republic — School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK

The history of spintronic devices is reminiscent of that of the conventional microelectronics. It has started with a simple "spintronic resistor" - an anisotropic magnetoresistance sensor, followed by diode-like spin-valve elements. Building further on the analogy with conventional electronics, adding a control by external electric fields appears as a natural route to a new generation of spintronics elements. We will introduce two concepts that allow for such a functionality - the Coulomb blockade anisotropic magnetoresistance [1] and the spin Hall effect [2]. The former phenomenon reflects the magnetization orientation dependence of the classical single-electron charging energy and offers a route to non-volatile, low-field, and highly electro- and magneto-sensitive operation. In the latter phenomenon, edge spin-accumulation is generated electrically in a nominally non-magnetic system. We will discuss our theoretical understanding of these effects in which spin-orbit coupling plays the central role.

[1] J. Wunderlich, T. Jungwirth, B. Kaestner, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 077201 (2006)

[2] J. Wunderlich, B. Kaestner, J. Sinova, T. Jungwirth, Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 047204 (2005); K. Nomura, J. Wunderlich, Jairo Sinova, B. Kaestner, A.H. MacDonald, T. Jungwirth, Phys. Rev. B 72, 245330 (2005).