First Principle Noncollinear Transport Calculation and Interfacial Spin-flipping of Cu/Co Multilayers

TL;DR

This paper presents a first-principles noncollinear transport calculation for Cu/Co multilayers, modeling interfacial spin-flipping with a Gaussian-distributed noncollinear magnetic structure, and compares results with experimental data.

Contribution

It introduces a novel first-principles approach to model interfacial spin-flipping in Cu/Co multilayers using noncollinear calculations with Gaussian-distributed magnetization orientations.

Findings

The spin-flipping ratio matches experimental probabilities for certain distribution widths.

Calculated magnetoresistance aligns with experimental observations.

Relationship between conductance and magnetization distribution width established.

Abstract

In this paper the first principle noncollinear transport calculation for Cu/Co(111) including interfacial spin-flipping was performed. We modeled spin-flipping at the interface by assuming a noncollinear magnetic structure with random magnetization orientation which satisfied Gaussian distribution along average magnetization direction. The relationship between spin-dependent conductance including interfacial spin-flipping and random magnetization orientation distribution width was obtained. For certain distribution width, our defined spin-flipping ratio coincides with the range of experimental spin-flipping probability $P=1-e^{-\delta}$, where $\delta=0.25\pm0.1$. The magnetoresistance in Co/Cu/Co spin valve system including interfacial spin-flipping has also been calculated.