Spin-Voltaic Effect and its Implications

TL;DR

This paper introduces the spin-voltaic effect in magnetic semiconductors, demonstrating how it enables electrical control of charge currents and voltages through spin and magnetization manipulation, with applications in spin measurement and device design.

Contribution

It reports the discovery of the spin-voltaic effect and explores its potential for electrical spin measurements and spintronic device applications.

Findings

Reversing magnetization or spin polarization switches current direction.

The effect allows electrical measurement of spin relaxation time.

Potential for devices with large magnetoresistance and spin amplification.

Abstract

In an inhomogeneously doped magnetic semiconductor, an interplay between an equilibrium magnetization and injected nonequilibrium spin leads to the spin-voltaic effect--a spin analogue of the photo-voltaic effect. By reversing either the sign of the equilibrium magnetization or the direction of injected spin polarization it is possible to switch the direction of charge current in a closed circuit or, alternatively, to switch the sign of the induced open-circuit voltage. Properties of the spin-voltaic effect can be used to perform all-electrical measurements of spin relaxation time and injected spin polarization, as well as to design devices with large magnetoresistance and spin-controlled amplification.