Detection of current-induced spins by ferromagnetic contacts

TL;DR

This paper explores how current-induced spins can be detected using ferromagnetic contacts, highlighting the limitations imposed by Onsager's relations and proposing multi-terminal configurations for effective detection.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical framework for detecting current-induced spins via ferromagnetic contacts in multi-terminal setups, overcoming two-probe limitations.

Findings

Onsager's relations prevent spin detection in two-probe setups

Current-induced spins can influence charge currents in multi-terminal configurations

Microscopic transport equations confirm the feasibility of detection in diffuse Rashba systems

Abstract

Detection of current-induced spin accumulation via ferromagnetic contacts is discussed. Onsager's relations forbid that in a two-probe configuration spins excited by currents in time-reversal symmetric systems can be detected by switching the magnetization of a ferromangetic detector contact. Nevertheless, current-induced spins can be transferred as a torque to a contact magnetization and affect the charge currents in many-terminal configurations. We demonstrate the general concepts by solving the microscopic transport equations for the diffuse Rashba system with magnetic contacts.