Identification of transverse spin currents in noncollinear magnetic structures

TL;DR

This paper reveals that transverse spin currents in ferromagnets are primarily due to off-diagonal transmission components at interfaces, leading to localized spin torque effects within a few nanometers, challenging previous band mismatch assumptions.

Contribution

It introduces the significance of off-diagonal transmission components in transverse spin currents, providing a new understanding of spin torque localization near interfaces.

Findings

Transverse spin currents are linked to off-diagonal transmission matrix components.

Spin torque is localized within at least 3 nm of the interface.

Band structure mismatch is less relevant to transverse spin currents than previously thought.

Abstract

We show that the transverse components of spin current in a ferromagnet is linked to an off diagonal spin component of the transmission matrix at interfaces;it has little to do with the mismatch of band structures between dissimilar metals. When we take account of this component,not considered in prior analyses, we find spin torque comes from a region of at lease 3 nm around an interface.