Current induced spin flip scattering at interfaces in noncollinear magnetic multilayers

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that charge currents in noncollinear magnetic multilayers induce spin flip scattering at interfaces due to Coulomb interactions, leading to transverse spin currents in steady state.

Contribution

It introduces a new mechanism where Coulomb scattering at interfaces causes spin flips, affecting spin transport in noncollinear magnetic multilayers.

Findings

Spin flip scattering is induced by charge currents at interfaces.

Transverse spin distributions propagate and generate spin currents.

The effect contributes linearly to the current.

Abstract

We show that when one drives a charge current across noncollinear magnetic layers the two electron Coulomb scattering creates a spin flip potential at interfaces. This scattering is found when the interface potential is updated due to the spin accumulation attendant to charge flow, and it contributes in linear response to the current. With this scattering there is an injection of transverse spin distributions in a layer that propagate, and that in the steady state lead to spin currents transverse to the magnetization.