Heat transport between antiferromagnetic insulators and normal metals

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that temperature gradients induce significant heat flow from magnons in antiferromagnetic insulators to electrons in adjacent metals, driven by a large staggered spin Seebeck effect, distinct from ferromagnetic systems.

Contribution

It reveals a novel heat transfer mechanism in antiferromagnetic insulator-normal metal systems via a large staggered spin Seebeck effect, differing from ferromagnetic counterparts.

Findings

Heat flow driven by temperature gradients from magnons to electrons.

Thermal conductance determined by coefficients similar to spin-transfer processes.

Absence of spin Seebeck effect, replaced by staggered spin Seebeck effect.

Abstract

Antiferromagnetic insulators can become active spintronics components by controlling and detecting their dynamics via spin currents in adjacent metals. This cross-talk occurs via spin-transfer and spin-pumping, phenomena that have been predicted to be as strong in antiferromagnets as in ferromagnets. Here, we demonstrate that a temperature gradient drives a significant heat flow from magnons in antiferromagnetic insulators to electrons in adjacent normal metals. The same coefficients as in the spin-transfer and spin-pumping processes also determine the thermal conductance. However, in contrast to ferromagnets, the heat is not transferred via a spin Seebeck effect which is absent in antiferromagnetic insulator-normal metal systems. Instead, the heat is transferred via a large staggered spin Seebeck effect.