Coupled spin-charge dynamics in magnetic van der Waals heterostructures

TL;DR

This paper develops a phenomenological theory describing how charge and spin dynamics are coupled in magnetic van der Waals heterostructures, highlighting their potential for spintronics and electromagnetic signal conversion.

Contribution

It introduces a new theoretical framework for understanding coupled spin-charge dynamics in layered antiferromagnetic vdW heterostructures, emphasizing electrical control and signal conversion capabilities.

Findings

Charge doping modulates exchange coupling in layered antiferromagnets.

Magnetization dynamics can induce charge dynamics reciprocally.

Potential for converting sub-THz radiation into electrical signals.

Abstract

We present a phenomenological theory for coupled spin-charge dynamics in magnetic van der Waals heterostructures. The system studied consists of a layered antiferromagnet inserted into a capacitive vdW heterostructure. It has been recently demonstrated that charge doping in such layered antiferromagnets can modulate the strength, and even the sign, of exchange coupling between the layer magnetizations. This provides a mechanism for electrically generating magnetization dynamics. The central result we predict here is that the magnetization dynamics reciprocally results in inducing charge dynamics. Such dynamics makes magnetic van der Waals heterostructures interesting candidates for spintronics applications. To this end, we also show that these systems can be used to convert sub-THz radiation induced magnetization dynamics into electrical signals.