Surface spin flip probability of mesoscopic Ag wires

TL;DR

This study investigates spin relaxation in mesoscopic silver wires, revealing that surface scattering significantly increases spin flip probability, with a model distinguishing contributions from phonon, impurity, and surface effects.

Contribution

The paper introduces a model to separately quantify spin flip probabilities from different scattering mechanisms, highlighting the dominant role of surface scattering in spin relaxation.

Findings

Surface scattering has the highest spin flip probability.

The ratio of momentum to spin relaxation times varies with temperature.

A temperature-dependent surface relaxation time explains the observed behavior.

Abstract

Spin relaxation in mesoscopic Ag wires in the diffusive transport regime is studied via nonlocal spin valve and Hanle effect measurements performed on permalloy/Ag lateral spin valves. The ratio between momentum and spin relaxation times is not constant at low temperatures. This can be explained with the Elliott-Yafet spin relaxation mechanism by considering the momentum surface relaxation time as being temperature dependent. We present a model to separately determine spin flip probabilities for phonon, impurity and surface scattering and find that the spin flip probability is highest for surface scattering.