arXiv · 1302.1352
Theory of spin Hall magnetoresistance
Abstract
We present a theory of the spin Hall magnetoresistance (SMR) in multilayers made from an insulating ferromagnet F, such as yttrium iron garnet (YIG), and a normal metal N with spin-orbit interactions, such as platinum (Pt). The SMR is induced by the simultaneous action of spin Hall and inverse spin Hall effects and therefore a non-equilibrium proximity phenomenon. We compute the SMR in F$|$N and F$|$N$|$F layered systems, treating N by spin-diffusion theory with quantum mechanical boundary conditions at the interfaces in terms of the spin-mixing conductance. Our results explain the experimentally observed spin Hall magnetoresistance in N$|$F bilayers. For F$|$N$|$F spin valves we predict an enhanced SMR amplitude when magnetizations are collinear. The SMR and the spin-transfer torques in these trilayers can be controlled by the magnetic configuration.
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Yan-Ting Chen, Saburo Takahashi, Hiroyasu Nakayama, Matthias Althammer, Sebastian T. B. Goennenwein, Eiji Saitoh, Gerrit E. W. Bauer. 2013-02-06. Theory of spin Hall magnetoresistance. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.87.144411
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