Charge and Spin Currents Generated by Dynamical Spins

TL;DR

This paper theoretically shows that spin dynamics combined with spin-orbit interaction can generate both charge and spin currents, with multiple contributing mechanisms identified.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive theoretical framework considering general and inhomogeneous spin-orbit interactions for current generation by spin dynamics.

Findings

Charge and spin currents are generated by spin dynamics with spin-orbit coupling.

Multiple mechanisms contribute to the generated currents, including spin damping and inhomogeneous spin-orbit interaction.

Theoretical analysis encompasses general and spatially inhomogeneous spin-orbit interactions.

Abstract

We demonstrate theoretically that a charge current and a spin current are generated by spin dynamics in the presence of spin-orbit interaction in the perturbative regime. We consider a general spin-orbit interaction including the spatially inhomogeneous case. Spin current due to spin damping is identified as one origin of generated charge current, but other contributions exist, such as the one due to an induced conservative field and the one arising from the inhomogeneity of spin-orbit interaction.