Berlin 2012 – scientific programme

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MA: Fachverband Magnetismus

MA 52: Poster II - Magnetic Heusler compounds, Magnetic shape memory alloys, Thin Films, Micro-/Nano-structured magnetic materials, Graphene, Spins in organics, Magnetic imaging, Surface Magnetism, Spin excitations/Torque, Spincaloric transport

MA 52.60: Poster

Friday, March 30, 2012, 11:00–14:00, Poster A

Local charge and spin currents in magnetothermal landscapes — •Michael Schreier, Mathias Weiler, Hans Huebl, Matthias Althammer, Martin S. Wagner, Rudolf Gross, and Sebastian T. B. Goennenwein — Walther-Meißner-Institut, Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften, 85748 Garching, Germany

The interplay of spin currents and phonons is currently vigorously investigated, e.g., in spin Seebeck effect measurements. In such spin caloritronic experiments, homogenous temperature gradients were used to date for spin current generation. However, for a detailed understanding of the magnon-phonon interaction, a spatially resolved study of spin currents in magnetothermal landscapes appears mandatory.

We use a focused, scannable laser beam to generate a local thermal gradient along the surface normal of a thin insulating Y₃Fe₅O₁₂ (YIG) film grown on Gd₃Ga₅O₁₂. This thermal gradient gives rise to a local spin current that we electrically detect by means of the inverse spin Hall effect in a Pt thin film deposited on top of the YIG. In our room temperature experiments, we demonstrate all-electrical detection [1] and thermal manipulation of the YIG magnetic texture. We furthermore discuss the interplay of local temperature gradients, charge currents and magnetic domains also in conductive ferromagnetic thin films. Taken together, our findings open the path for local magnetothermal generation and control of spin and charge currents in ferromagnetic thin films.

This work is supported by DFG via SPP1538.

[1] M. Weiler et al. (2011) arXiv:1110.3981v1