Emission of electromagnetic radiation due to spin-flip transitions in a ferromagnet

TL;DR

This paper theoretically explores electromagnetic wave emission from spin-flip electron transitions in ferromagnets, analyzing various mechanisms including magnetic field effects, Rashba spin-orbit interaction, and non-collinear magnetization configurations.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive theoretical model for spin-flip induced electromagnetic emission considering multiple mechanisms in both homogeneous and non-collinear ferromagnets.

Findings

Different mechanisms have comparable transition probabilities.

Estimated radiation power and threshold current for emission.

Non-collinear magnetization enhances emission mechanisms.

Abstract

We theoretically analyze a possibility of electromagnetic wave emission due to electron transitions between spin subbands in a ferromagnet. Different mechanisms of such spin-flip transitions are cousidered. One mechanism is the electron transitions caused by magnetic field of the wave. Another mechanism is due to Rashba spin-orbit interaction. While two mentioned mechanisms exist in a homogeneously magnetized ferromagnet, there are two other mechanisms that exist in non-collinearly magnetized medium. First mechanism is known and is due to the dependence of exchange interaction constant on the quasimomentum of conduction electrons. Second one exists in any non-collinearly magnetized medium. We study these mechanisms in a non-collinear ferromagnet with helicoidal magnetization distribution. The estimations of probabilities of electron transitions due to different mechanisms are made for realistic parameters, and we compare the mechanisms. We also estimate the radiation power and threshold current in a simple model in which spin is injected into the ferromagnet by a spin-polarized electric current through a tunnel barrier.