Modulation of Spin Accumulation by Nanoscale Confinement using Electromigration in a Metallic Lateral Spin Valve

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how electromigration-induced nanoscale constrictions in lateral spin valves can modulate spin accumulation, providing insights for optimizing spintronic device design.

Contribution

It introduces a method to control spin accumulation via electromigration in nanoscale channels, with comprehensive parameter extraction from a single device.

Findings

Constriction blocks spin diffusion without causing spin flipping.

Spin signal varies with non-magnetic channel resistance.

Simulation confirms diffusion blocking as the main effect.

Abstract

We study spin transport in lateral spin valves with constricted channels. Using electromigration, we modulate the spin accumulation by continuously varying the width of the non-magnetic channel at a single location. By fitting the non-local spin signal data as a function of the non-magnetic channel resistance, we extract all the relevant parameters regarding spin transport from a single device. Simulations show that constricting the channel blocks the diffusion of the accumulated spins rather than causing spin flipping. This result could be used to improve the design of future spintronic devices devoted to information processing.